CLT20 2014: Mohali awaits Glenn Maxwell storm

New Delhi: He was unstoppable in the initial phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year. And as Kings XI Punjab kick off their campaign against Hobart Hurricanes in Champions League Twenty20, all eyes would once again be on Glenn Maxwell, as the local crowd would be expecting another blitzkrieg of a knock from their champion batsman.

The Australian all-rounder was a nightmare for bowlers in IPL 2014, where he unleashed his prowess, ripping apart the best of bowling attacks. In the first three matches for Punjab, Maxwell played three incredible knocks of 95, 89 and 95 respectively, which got his side to a superb start in the tournament.

Even though he couldn't continue his run-fest in the latter part of the tournament, he had earned the reputation of being one of the most destructive batsmen in the shortest format of the game across the globe.

Maxwell was earlier a part of Mumbai Indians, where he got to play only three matches in 2013. He needed a squad like KXIP, who encouraged youngsters to play their natural game earlier this year. As a result of his swashbuckling play, Punjab scored 231 in one particular innings – which was the highest team total in IPL 2014.

While David Miller has got Punjab to some superb finishes, Maxwell is the one who has done most of the damage at the top of the order. KXIP would want him to repeat his IPL 2014 performance in CLT20 as well.

We already witnessed a thrilling contest between two IPL teams – Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight riders on Wednesday, and only if Maxwell gets going, there would be no dearth of entertainment for the local crowd at Mohali.