Afghanistan script their own blockbuster in this Mumbai sequel

The script was playing out again all too familiarly. The script was playing out again all too ominously. The script was playing out again all too terrifyingly. Another heartbreak loading. Another sleepless night for Rashid Khan. Another what-could-have-been for Afghanistan. Another ode to the glory of Glenn Maxwell.

"Glenn Maxwell has become a taboo word in Afghanistan," an Afghan fan was overheard saying before the match began at the Arnos Vale Stadium in St Vincent. As the Australian run-chase entered the 15th over, Glenn Maxwell was about to become a banned word in Afghanistan, or so it seemed, the way the Australian No 4 seemed to be steering his team towards a win. And a win that had too many shades of Australia's famous win in Mumbai from the 50-over men's World Cup only six months ago to give the Afghans the jitters.

On a surface that none of his colleagues seemed to get settled on, Maxwell was batting like a dream, just like he was after a point that night at the Wankhede. On a night, where Australia's batting had suffered an uncharacteristic collapse, Maxwell was playing the lone hand, and doing so like a batter who seemed to be operating on a higher level than everyone else present.

There were other signs too. Ibrahim Zadran, who had famously scored a century that night, had starred with the bat again here, at Arnos Vale with Rahmanullah Gurbaz playing an even better innings. And Naveen-Ul-Haq had given his team the best start with a fiery spell, even if there was no send-off for Mitchell Marsh here unlike at the Wankhede.

It was a humid night again, and Maxwell had started sweating profusely just like he had that night. He hadn't started cramping yet though, but he was guzzling up fluids every time a reserve player brought some out to him. At one point, after he'd already hit Rashid for six, that led to some banter between the two T20 legends, he played an outrageous shot off a full ball from Gulbadin Naib, that sailed over long-off and brought up his half-century.

At this point, the second highest run-getter for Australia was Mitchell Marsh with 12, as it would remain eventually. He'd already hit a couple of boundaries with no headgear on, just like he had in Mumbai, on this balmy night. And as you looked around the field at the Afghans, you could start seeing signs of deja vu, with bowlers getting frustrated with fielders. Especially when an over-excited Gurbaz rolled the ball towards Maxwell's stumps from behind the wickets, even though the Victorian was in his crease, and gave away an unnecessary over-throw.

Unlike that night in November though, the Afghans still didn't look like they were wilting under the carnage. They'd seen this movie before after all. They'd experienced the finish after all. If they began looking lost and hapless after a point in Mumbai, in St Vincent, they never looked like they were about to give in, forget give up. This wasn't going to be a repeat. This was a sequel, and most importantly, with a different ending.

That evening Maxwell had given them a couple of chances. Both had been floored, the Mujeeb ur Rahman drop the most damaging. He had also played and missed at nearly a dozen deliveries from Azmatullah and Naveen early in his innings.

Here, Maxwell looked like he had his eye in from the moment he walked out to bat. Maybe