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Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell 3
Glenn Maxwell 3 Image: Wikimedia Commons. paddynapper / CC BY-SA 2.0

Glenn James Maxwell (born 14 October 1988) is an Australian professional cricketer who represents the Australia national cricket team in Twenty20 Internationals (T20I). He plays domestic cricket for Victoria and turns out for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League. A right-handed all-rounder, Maxwell is recognised for his unorthodox batting and off-spin bowling, and has previously also played Test and One Day International (ODI) cricket for Australia.

Key facts

Full name Glenn James Maxwell
Date of birth 14 October 1988
Nationality Australian
Batting Right-handed
Bowling Right-arm off-spin (originally medium-pace)
Role All-rounder
Domestic team Victoria
T20 franchise Melbourne Stars
International formats Test, ODI, T20I

Background

Maxwell began his cricketing career as a medium-pace bowler before switching to off-spin at a young age. He developed a reputation in domestic cricket for aggressive and improvisational stroke play, including reverse sweeps and pulls, which often made it difficult for opposition captains to set conventional fields against him.

Career

Rise to prominence

Maxwell came into the spotlight in 2011 after setting an at-the-time record for the fastest half-century in Australian domestic one-day cricket, scoring 51 runs off 19 balls. The performance hastened his elevation to the international level.

International debut

He made his ODI debut against Afghanistan in 2012, followed a month later by his T20I debut against Pakistan. His Test debut came the next year, against India.

Records and milestones

  • After scoring 104 against India in 2017, Maxwell became the second Australian to have scored centuries in all three international formats.
  • He holds the record for the most career T20I centuries with 5, jointly with Rohit Sharma.
  • At the 2023 Cricket World Cup, he scored a century off 40 balls against the Netherlands — the fastest century scored at a Cricket World Cup and the fourth fastest in ODIs.
  • A month later, against Afghanistan at the same tournament, he set a new record for the fastest double century at a Cricket World Cup, the second fastest in ODI cricket. The innings has been widely regarded as one of the greatest in ODI history.

Tournament successes

Maxwell was part of the Australian squads that won the 2015 Cricket World Cup, the 2021 T20 World Cup, and the 2023 Cricket World Cup.

Career statistics summary

As of 2026, Maxwell has played 7 Test matches, 149 ODIs and 130 T20I matches. His T20I appearance tally is the highest for any Australian player.

Playing style and significance

Maxwell is known for his dramatic shot-making and improvisation in the shorter formats of the game. His range of unconventional strokes — including reverse sweeps and pulls played to deliveries on either side of the wicket — has made him one of the most difficult batters to contain in limited-overs cricket, contributing to his standing as a key figure in Australia's white-ball sides.

References