Maxwell masterclass: The fastest-ever World Cup century

Maxwell’s extraordinary innings finished in the final over with his score on 106 from just 44 balls – a knock that featured nine fours and eight sixes.

And he brought up his century with one of those eight sixes, reaching his milestone off just 40 balls, setting a new record for the fastest hundred at a Men’s Cricket World Cup.

In fact, Maxwell didn’t just break the record, he smashed it, bettering the previous best, set by Aiden Markram against Sri Lanka earlier in this tournament, by nine balls.

That previous effort by Markram also came in Delhi, breaking a record that had stood since Kevin O’Brien’s 50-ball century against England in 2011.

Maxwell’s inspired knock is the fastest ever by an Australian man in ODI cricket, and stands as the fourth fastest of all time, with AB de Villiers’ 31-ball ton against West Indies in 2015 still leading the way.

The 35-year-old brought up his fifty from 27 balls, and accelerated in extraordinary fashion, taking just 13 further deliveries to reach three figures.

Netherlands bowler Bas de Leede took the worst of the punishment, conceding 115 runs in his ten overs – the most expensive figures in the history of men’s ODI cricket.

The majority of Maxwell’s brilliant innings came with captain Pat Cummins alongside him out in the middle.

And the partnership numbers make for extraordinary reading.

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Together they put on 103 runs from 44 balls, with Cummins facing just eight deliveries in that time and scoring eight runs. In the same time Maxwell slammed 91 from 36.

The number six’s magnificent effort lifted Australia to a total of 399/8.