On Tuesday, during a World Cup play against Afghanistan, the Australian all-rounder Maxwell Mayhem enthralled the cricket world with an incredible unbeaten innings total of 201 runs. As Maxwell assisted Australia in pulling off a stunning victory over Afghanistan and securing a spot in the tournament semifinals, history was drastically altered. With the assistance of 21 fours and 10 sixes, Maxwell scored an undefeated 201 in 128 balls. He had a strike rate of more than 157. He proceeded to create history in the process, hitting multiple new records during his storied career as a cricket player.
- This is the 11th time that a double century has occurred in 50 overs of cricket and the first ever in an ODI for Australia. 2011 saw Maxwell surpass Shane Watson’s 185* against Bangladesh.
- In an ODI run-chase, this is also the highest individual score. Here, Maxwell defeated Fakhar Zaman of Pakistan, who in 2021 crushed 193 against South Africa.
- Maxwell’s double tonne is now the greatest score by a non-opener in ODI cricket history, surpassing Charles Coventry of Zimbabwe’s 194 against Bangladesh in 2009.
- Martin Guptill (237 against West Indies in 2015 for New Zealand) and Chris Gayle (215 against Zimbabwe in 2015 for West Indies) are the other two double-hundred scores in ODI Cricket World Cup history, with Maxwell’s 201* being the only other example.
- Maxwell and captain Pat Cummins (12*) shared 202 runs, which is the best partnership for seventh wicket or less in ODI history. It has surpassed the seventh-wicket stand of 177 runs shared by England’s Jos Buttler and Adil Rashid against New Zealand in 2015.
- Maxwell became the second-fastest player in ODI history to reach his double century in just 128 balls. Ishan Kishan of India achieved the fastest double century in history last year against Bangladesh, needing just 126 balls.
- Maxwell is currently ranked third among players with the most World Cup sixes, having hit ten sixes during the match. He has 33 sixes overall. Above him are West Indies great Chris Gayle (49), and Indian captain Rohit Sharma (45).
