T20 World Cup: Glenn Maxwell’s rough trot with the bat continues as Oman’s Aqib Ilyas takes classic catch
When you’re hot, you’re hot, and when you’re not, you’re not.
And Glenn Maxwell’s lean trot has continued after succumbing to an all-time catch as Australia found the going tough early in their T20 World Cup opener against rank outsiders Oman.
Coming to the crease at 2-50 after the demise of Travis Head and Mitch Marsh, Maxwell was hoping to put a rough run in the recently-completed Indian Premier League behind him with a convincing knock.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.But a cover drive off Mehran Khan’s bowling gave Oman skipper Aqib Ilyas a sniff, and that was all he needed as he sprung to pouch a ripping catch.
Ilyas dove to his left and somehow got two hands to the firmly-hit drive, taking it cleanly and controlling it as he fell to the ground.
“He’s hit it as sweet as a nut, straight off the middle,” commentator Matthew Hayden said.
“That’s just a magic piece of fielding from the skipper.”
The first-ball duck means that Maxwell has mustered just 52 runs in his past 10 innings across this tournament and the IPL, including eight scores of four or less.
Veteran opener David Warner and WA blaster Marcus Stoinis steadied the Aussies after Maxwell’s dismissal, with a string of Stoinis sixes lifting the total to 3-108 after 15 overs.
