Cricket World Cup 2023: Maxwell's fastest ton fires Australia to 309-run win over Netherlands

Glenn Maxwell hit the fastest World Cup century in 40 balls to power Australia to a comprehensive 309-run over the Netherlands in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Maxwell's knock bettered the record of South Africa's Aiden Markram who blasted a century off 49 balls against Sri Lanka earlier in the tournament at the same venue.

He smashed Bas de Leede for two fours and three sixes on successive balls to achieve the feat before departing on 106 off 44 balls with nine fours and eight sixes, as Australia racked up a mammoth 399-8. The Netherlands were shot out for 99 in 21 overs.

David Warner, who clubbed 163 last time out against Pakistan, reached his second successive ton off 91 balls with 11 fours and three sixes and made 104 to set the tone for his team's dominance.

Warner pulled level with India batting great Sachin Tendulkar with six World Cup centuries, but it was Maxwell who stole the show at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium.

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India skipper Rohit Sharma recently surpassed compatriot Tendulkar's record of World Cup tons to lead the race with seven hundreds.

"It feels pretty good. I have been pretty cooked today so I wasn't expecting much but it probably cleared my head a little bit to be able to go out there and play," said Maxwell.

"The situation when Warner and Greeny (Cameron Green) both got out probably made me play the situation a little differently."

The left-handed Warner led the batting with aplomb after Australia elected to bat first.

Five-time winners Australia lost Mitchell Marsh, for nine, in the fourth over before Warner and Steve Smith hit back in a stand of 132 against a Dutch side who had stunned South Africa earlier in the tournament.

Smith scored his first fifty of this edition before he fell for 71 off spinner Aryan Dutt, but Warner stood firm in another stubborn partnership of 84 with Marnus Labuschagne.

Labuschagne raised his fifty before he fell for 62 off Bas de Leede.

Warner raised the noise with his 22nd ODI hundred as he jumped in joy at a stadium where he captained the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League.

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