Glenn Maxwell smashed the fastest hundred in the history of the 50-overs World Cup as Australia thrashed the Netherlands by a record 309 runs in what was their third successive win of the tournament on Wednesday.
Eighteen days after South Africa’s Aiden Markram smashed a 49-ball hundred at the same Arun Jaitley Stadium against Sri Lanka, Maxwell took nine balls fewer to bring up his century.
The all-rounder produced a blistering 106 off 44 balls and opener David Warner made 104 as Australia racked up 399-8 after electing to bat.
The Netherlands began with spin from both ends and Warner smashed Aryan Dutt for four fours in a row to signal his intention early.
The feisty left-hander raced to a 91-ball hundred, his second successive ton in the tournament, and took off his helmet and leapt in his trademark celebration.
Logan van Beek (4-74) removed Warner soon after but Steve Smith (71) and Marnus Labuschagne (62) helped themselves to easy half-centuries.
The Dutch bowlers briefly stemmed the run flow but the ground had been laid for Maxwell to explode with the bat.
The all-rounder toyed with the Dutch attack smacking nine fours and eight sixes in his clattering innings.
He was particularly harsh on de Leede, who bled 115 runs in his 10 overs – the most by a bowler in a men’s ODI. It included 28 runs in de Leede’s final over alone.
With Maxwell playing some outrageous shots on either side of the wicket, Australia plundered 131 runs in the final 10 overs.
Maxwell shattered several records along the way.
Maxwell put on a solid partnership of 103 runs with Pat Cummins for the highest seventh-wicket stand or lower for Australia in World Cups.
Maxwell also has joint second-most sixes by an Aussie player in a World Cup innings with eight sixes. Ricky Ponting also smashed eight sixes in his innings against India in the 2003 WC final. Aussie opener David Warner holds the first place with nine sixes against Pakistan in 2023. Mitchell Marsh is in the second spot with nine sixes against Pakistan in the ongoing ODI World Cup.
Maxwell became the third Aussie cricketer to smash the most sixes for Australia in the 50-over format with 138 maximums. Ricky Ponting holds the top spot with 159 sixes. Meanwhile, Adam Gilchrist is in second place with 148 sixes.
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