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'It’s A Bitter Pill To Swallow': AFG Coach After Losing To Glenn Maxwell's Stunner

image-lopnntqlJonathan Trott (Twitter)

Afghanistan's head coach, Jonathan Trott, expressed his deep disappointment as his team endured a heart-wrenching defeat against Australia in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The pivotal moment came when Glenn Maxwell, in a spectacular display of batting prowess, crafted an unbeaten double century that Afghanistan found excruciating to digest.

Here's what he said:

“We lost the New Zealand game, came back and won the next game. We lost the India game very heavily but came back and beat England. There’s no time to muck around, we’ve got to pick ourselves up and learn from the experience. But it’s a bitter pill to swallow. It would be nice sitting here with 10 points. But hopefully that’s after the South Africa game.”

The Afghan team was on the cusp of a monumental upset, poised to conquer Australia and advance to the semi-finals of the CWC 2023. Fate, however, had a different narrative in store. The turning point occurred when Mujeeb Ur Rahman dropped a seemingly straightforward catch off Maxwell, an error that would prove exorbitantly costly for the Afghan side.

Afghanistan had managed to reduce the formidable Australian lineup to a precarious 91/7 while defending a target of 292 runs during the 39th match of the tournament on November 7. Yet, Maxwell, the enigmatic showman, was handed two lifelines during the contest. First, a successful DRS review overturned an LBW appeal against him, and then the pivotal moment arrived when Mujeeb's missed catch breathed new life into Maxwell's innings.

Maxwell proceeded to ruthlessly dismantle Afghanistan's bowling, accumulating an astonishing 201 runs not out from just 128 deliveries, featuring 21 fours and 10 towering sixes. In the end, Australia clinched victory by a slender margin of 3 wickets, securing their place in the semi-finals of the CWC 2023. The missed opportunity and Maxwell's astounding performance left Afghanistan reeling, making it a bitter pill to swallow for their coach and supporters alike.

The ongoing World Cup 2023 has seen India, South Africa, and Australia secure their places in the semifinals. Among the remaining teams, New Zealand and Pakistan are the top contenders vying for the last spot.