By In a spectacular display of batting prowess, Glenn Maxwell hammered an unbeaten 55-ball 120, matching Rohit Sharma’s record of five centuries in T20Is, as Australia secured a 34-run victory over West Indies in the second T20I at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday (February 11).
Maxwell’s breathtaking innings propelled Australia to their highest-ever T20I total on home soil. Despite early setbacks, with Josh Inglis departing cheaply, skipper Mitchell Marsh’s aggressive cameo laid a solid foundation. Partnering with David Warner, Marsh built a fruitful partnership before both fell in quick succession, providing some respite to the West Indies bowlers.
The stage was then set for Maxwell’s exhibition of power hitting. Teaming up with Marcus Stoinis, Maxwell dominated the proceedings, with Stoinis merely a supporting act in their 82-run partnership. Later, Tim David’s quickfire 31* combined with Maxwell’s brilliance added an unbroken 95-run stand, propelling Australia to a daunting total. Maxwell’s array of strokes, including audacious reverse-pulls and switch-hits, left the crowd awestruck.
West Indies’ chase faltered early on, losing crucial wickets within the powerplay. Despite brisk starts from Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran, their dismissals, along with Shai Hope’s, further tilted the game in Australia’s favor. Rovman Powell and Andre Russell provided some entertainment with their power-hitting, but the required run rate proved insurmountable. Despite their valiant efforts, Australia’s bowlers, led by Marcus Stoinis, maintained control, restricting West Indies to 207/9 in 20 overs.
Brief Scores: Australia 241/4 in 20 overs (Glenn Maxwell 120*, Tim David 31*) defeated West Indies 207/9 in 20 overs (Rovman Powell 63, Andre Russell 37; Marcus Stoinis 3-36, Josh Hazlewood 2-31) by 34 runs.
