Glenn Maxwell admits he wanted to open in T20Is for Australia

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell opened for the first time in T20Is, against Sri Lanka in the first T20I but admitted that he had been eyeing up the opener slot for a while. Opening for only the third time for Australia across all formats, Maxwell scored an unbeaten 145 off just 65 balls to help Australia set up a record T20I total.

While Australian captain David Warner said that he wanted to keep the left-right combination at the top of the order, the 27-year-old was quick to admit that he spoke about opening to Greg Blewett.

"I actually had a chat to [coach] Greg Blewett a couple of days ago after Finch hurt his finger," Maxwell said. "I said: 'Geez, I'd love to have a crack at the top of the order.' Sure enough, a couple of days, Warner gave me a tap on the shoulder and told me I was going to be up the top with him. So I was excited about it and looking forward to the opportunity.”

Maxwell's 145 is the second-highest score in T20Is behind only Aaron Finch's 156 against England and he admitted that he enjoyed batting at the top in T20s.

"I really enjoy batting at the top of the order in T20 cricket," Maxwell said. "I find it's easier to get into the innings. When you're in the middle order you have to be proactive the whole time. It seems like if you get out playing a big shot at that stage of the game, it all falls on your shoulders. "

On what makes it so much better to open in the shortest format, he said: "At the top of the order you've got a little bit more freedom to get yourself into the game and play pretty normal cricket shots without taking risks. You only have to beat two guys on the fence. The way Sri Lanka set fields at the start made it pretty obvious where they're going to bowl. It made my job a lot easier in the first six.”

The all-rounder also admitted that having come close to a century thrice in the 2014 IPL season, he wanted to do one better for Australia and learn from his IPL mistakes.

"When I looked up and there was eight overs to go and I was 80 or 90, I got the sense it would be a big score. I didn't really realise how long there was left," he added. "I think I've made that mistake a few times playing in the IPL. I kept swinging until I was out. I probably played periods a bit smarter tonight. I knew if I mistimed it, it'd go in the gap.”