Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting thinks that Glenn Maxwell’s heroic 201 not out against Afghanistan in the ODI World Cup 2023 is a better innings than Ben Stokes’ 135 not out in Headingly 2019 Ashes Test. Ponting made the comments after the match which also confirmed Australia’s place in the semifinals of the ongoing quadrennial tournament.

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“I have been around a lot of games playing and calling and I have never seen anything like that, and I’ll be very surprised if I see anything like that ever again,” Ponting said.

“It was the most remarkable thing you’ve probably ever seen in cricket.

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“Ben Stokes’ Test innings to win it (third Ashes Test in 2019) at Headingley was something that I had never seen before and I think this one goes past that just for the sheer enormity of what it means for the Australian cricket team making the World Cup semi-finals.”

Australia were seven down for 91 in the chase of 292 but Maxwell persevered through severe cramps and spasms to play one of the best ODI innings. Stokes also had done something similar in the 2019 Ashes Test, scoring 135 not out to help England chase 362 despite the Three Lions being nine down for 286.

Ponting also believes that the innings from Maxwell will inspire Australia to clinch their sixth ODI World Cup title.

“All the great teams that I’ve played with and all the great teams that I’ve been around have always had that belief that they can win from anywhere, and literally anywhere, even World Cup campaigns that I played in,” Ponting said.

“We had games where we probably shouldn’t have won, but someone was there with that belief to put their hand up and win the game.

“And that’s what I talk about with Australia in World Cups.

“They’ve got this knack of being able to just win the big moments and today was a huge moment as they qualify for the World Cup semi-finals now and hopefully onwards and upwards for them.”

Australia play South Africa in the semifinal after their last league match against Bangladesh on November 11.

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