From heartbreak to healing: Rashid Khan finds closure after Glenn Maxwell’s double ton

Dubai: For months, Rashid Khan would replay the moment in his head — the cramps, the carnage, the collapse.

Afghanistan were on the brink of history at the 2023 World Cup. Then came Glenn Maxwell’s miracle in Mumbai. A year later, Rashid admits he couldn’t move on — not until Afghanistan finally bat Australia and buried the ghosts of that unforgettable night.

“It was bothering me for a long time,” Rashid said. “We had the game in our hands. But that double century took the match away. I kept thinking about that game after the World Cup.”

At Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, a venue steeped in tradition and known for rewarding textbook batting, Maxwell produced an innings that defied every coaching manual. Battling cramps and barely able to move his feet, the Australian all-rounder unleashed a counter-attack built on sheer hand-eye coordination.

Afghanistan had Australia reeling at 91 for seven, chasing 292. With the finish line in sight, Rashid’s men could almost feel the weight of history shifting. But Maxwell, standing and swinging, carved out an unbeaten 201 to pull off one of the greatest ODI knocks of all time. From a dominant position, Afghanistan watched the match — and their semi-final hopes — slip away.

“For a spinner, when someone’s not moving their feet and still hitting you everywhere… that stays with you,” Rashid said with a smile. “It was unbelievable.”

It took nearly a year for him to find closure. That came in the 2024 T20 World Cup, when Afghanistan stunned Australia in the Super Eight stage — a result that not only avenged the Mumbai heartbreak but also secured their spot in the semi-finals.

“When we beat them in 2024, that win gave me peace,” Rashid said. “It finally got out of my mind.”

The road to that resurgence wasn’t smooth. Afghanistan entered the 2023 World Cup off the back of three winless series — against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and at the Asia Cup. But those defeats, Rashid says, helped the team reflect and rebuild.

“We didn’t win a single game. That forced us to look at ourselves and ask, ‘What are we doing wrong? What can we fix?’” he said. “Once the World Cup began, the team just clicked — beating England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka… that gave us confidence.”

The self-belief carried into 2024. Along with the T20 World Cup semi-final run, Afghanistan also beat England again in the Champions Trophy — another sign they’re no longer underdogs.

Now, with the Asia Cup looming, Rashid isn’t making grand predictions. “We don’t focus on outcomes,” he said, adding that Afghanistan need to play more bilateral series to improve — something he believes is key to eventually winning a World Cup. “What’s in our control is to play brave cricket, give 100 per cent, and stay positive.”

But one thing is certain: Afghanistan’s rise has been built on heartbreak, reflection — and finally, redemption.