Maxwell's ODI curtain falls, his 201 echoes through time

Glenn Maxwell, the Australian maverick known as the "Big Show", has called time on his one-day international career, drawing the curtain on a format he often redefined with fearless brilliance.

While his ODI journey includes two World Cup titles and a reputation as one of the game's most dynamic finishers, it will be his once-in-a-lifetime knock against Afghanistan at the 2023 World Cup that immortalises him.

Chasing 293 under the Mumbai lights, Australia were down and almost out at 91-7. Maxwell, battling scorching heat and debilitating cramps, produced what many call the greatest ODI innings of all time — an unbeaten 201 off just 128 balls. Collapsing at times mid-pitch, grimacing in pain, and barely able to run, Maxwell turned to sheer timing, audacious shot-making, and defiance to flip the script.

With captain Pat Cummins holding one end (scoring only 12 in their 202-run stand), Maxwell singlehandedly dismantled Afghanistan's attack with a blend of ramp shots, flat sixes, and reverse sweeps — many on one leg. It wasn't just a match-winning knock; it was a superhuman effort that defined grit, genius, and showmanship in equal measure.

"That innings was something else — I've never felt anything like it," Maxwell later admitted. "I wasn't sure I'd be able to walk off the field, let alone win it."

Australia would ride the momentum from that night to eventually clinch their sixth World Cup title in Ahmedabad, with Maxwell playing a crucial role throughout the campaign.

Announcing his ODI retirement at 36, Maxwell cited the physical toll of the 50-over format, stressing it was time for younger talent to stake their claim ahead of the 2027 World Cup. "I didn't want to just hold on for selfish reasons," he said.

Selector George Bailey paid tribute to Maxwell's "natural talent, passion, and unmatched energy", and confirmed he remains central to Australia's T20 plans heading into next year's World Cup.

In the end, Maxwell's ODI career may be over, but his 201 not out against Afghanistan ensures the legend lives on.