Glenn Maxwell's stunning 40-ball century against the Netherlands during the 2023 ODI World Cup was not just another explosive knock—it was a record-breaking one. In a match played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on October 25, Maxwell demolished the Netherlands’ bowling attack, surpassing the previous fastest World Cup century by South Africa's Aiden Markram, set just 18 days earlier.

Australia's mammoth total

Australia batted first, and though they lost an early wicket, David Warner set the foundation by slamming a century—his second in a row at the tournament. Along with Steve Smith (71) and Marnus Labuschagne (62), Australia built a solid platform. However, it was Glenn Maxwell's late-innings heroics that truly propelled Australia to a massive 399 for 8. Coming in at No. 6, Maxwell played a game-changing knock of 106 runs off just 44 balls, including nine fours and eight sixes. In doing so, he secured the fastest century ever in a World Cup, completing the feat in just 40 deliveries.

The Dutch bowlers had a night to forget, especially Bas de Leede, who conceded 115 runs—the most ever by a bowler in ODI cricket, highlighting the Dutch team’s struggle to contain Maxwell’s onslaught.

How Maxwell turned the game

Maxwell's approach was methodical, initially getting his eye in before launching a flurry of boundaries. His first 50 came off 27 balls, a relatively fast but controlled half-century. Then came the acceleration: he took just 13 more deliveries to race to 100. His innings featured an astonishing display of power hitting, particularly his switch-hits and pull shots, which sent the Dutch bowlers into disarray. By the time the innings ended, Maxwell had etched his name in the World Cup history books.

Maxwell’s strike rate of over 240 was remarkable, but it was the calculated nature of his aggression that stood out. Rather than swinging at everything, he waited for his moments, taking full advantage of the shorter boundaries in Delhi.

Records tumble

Maxwell’s century broke several records. Not only did he register the fastest World Cup hundred, but he also secured the fourth-fastest century in ODI history. The innings gave Australia their biggest-ever World Cup victory by a margin of 309 runs, the second-largest defeat margin in men’s ODI history. The Netherlands, who had earlier stunned South Africa in the same tournament, had no answer for Australia's powerhouse performance.

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