Batsman Glenn Maxwell is looking forward to the challenge posed by leg-spinner Rashid Khan, ahead of Australia’s World Cup fixture against Afghanistan in Bristol on Saturday.

The Aussies and Afghans have met twice in the intermediate format of the international game. The last time was in 2015, when Maxwell struck 88 from 39 deliveries in comfortable victory, but Khan didn’t play.

‘He’s very difficult. He is probably one of the more difficult ones I’ve played against. He and West Indian Sunil Narine are probably the two you go through stages where you think you are going to hold them and then they bowl a ball that beats you,’ said Maxwell.

‘And you sit there shaking your head. I think for me I feel like I don’t think I’m going to get out to him but I don’t feel like I’m going to score much off him.’

Melbourne Renegades star Maxwell played against Adelaide Strikers recruit Khan in Australia’s Big Bash League. Khan has also partnered fellow Afghanistan spinner Mohammad Nabi in the Indian Premier League.

‘It’s about targeting other blokes and making sure I’m putting pressure on him to change his lengths and I felt like I did that against him during the Big Bash at different times. I will be drawing on that experience a little bit,’ added Maxwell.

‘I probably try and pick my spinners I go hard against,” he said. “Whether it’s history against them or I have confidence against them, or I’ve got a good game plan against certain players. But I think for him because he is such a dangerous player for them – they rely and him and Nabi a lot to stop and get wickets just after the Powerplay.’

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