The Australian cricket team, led by Pat Cummins, has etched their name in history once more, securing their sixth World Cup title in a demonstration of sheer dominance at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, this past Sunday, November 19. Cummins, in a press conference drenched in the glory of a one-sided final, proclaimed this victory as the summit of international cricket, standing tall with the trophy and reflecting on a campaign that journeyed through tumultuous seas to reach celebratory shores.
The championship match, symbolic of Australia’s cricketing pedigree, saw the Indian team contained to a modest 240. Travis Head, wielding his bat like a maestro, orchestrated a stunning century that spurred Australia to reach the target effortlessly within 43 overs. The gulf in execution and class between the two sides was vast enough to silence the predominantly local crowd, stirring only occasionally to the rhythms of intermittent home-team heroics.
“That’s huge, I think that’s the pinnacle of international cricket, winning a one-day World Cup. Especially over here in India, in front of a crowd like this. Yeah, it’s been a big year for everyone, but our cricket team has been here in India, Ashes, World Test Championship and to top it off with this is just huge and these are the moments that you’ll remember for the rest of your life,” Cummins encapsulated the feeling within the camp at the post-match assemblage with journalists.
Cummins touched on the infrequency and hence, the preciousness of World Cup moments, “It’s just every international team comes together. You only get a shot at it every four years. Even if you have a ten-year career, you might only get two chances at it. And yeah, it’s just the whole cricket world stops with this World Cup. So, it doesn’t get any better.”
For Australia, the year had unraveled like a dream sequence, capturing the World Test Championship by eclipsing India, retaining the Ashes, and now sewing the one-day crown into their country’s cricket tapestry. Among these gems, Cummins hoisted the ODI title as the quintessential jewel.
“This is, no doubt,” asserted Cummins. “The World Test Championship was huge—another two-year campaign—but an ODI World Cup—it’s the rich history I think, and to come out of a place like India where you know the conditions are so different to back home, it’s pretty grueling, 11 games in whatever it was, 5 – 6 weeks, but yeah, the way the group stuck together and got through it and yeah holding the medal is—that’s the pinnacle.”
The Australian contingent arrived on Indian soil with certain strategic pressures. Cummins particularly yearned for a subdued audience despite the stadium’s 92,000 capacity, and as it turned out, his bowlers were the orchestrators of silence. Rohit Sharma’s initial spark and India’s spirited early bowling were eclipsed by the Australian perseverance and finesse.
Cummins recollected his anticipation for the day, “I always like to say I’m pretty relaxed but I was a little bit nervous this morning… walking into something pretty special. And then to walk out for the toss and just see 130,000 blue Indian shirts, it’s an experience you’ll never forget. Awesome day and the good thing was they weren’t too noisy for most of it.”
The moment that epitomized the control Australia exercised in the match was when the formidable Virat Kohli, having scored a half-century and well-positioned for a substantial contribution, succumbed to a delivery from Cummins, much to the disbelief of the crowd that had pinned their hopes on him. Cummins acknowledged the collective pause they took to appreciate the suddenly quiet stadium.
The Australian skipper reflected on the ethos within the team—a shared commitment to collective goals and mutual support, which has underpinned their success. “It’s probably for others to judge that, but yeah, couldn’t be prouder of the team for the last few years. We’ve had some tough series but we’ve won some amazing series as well and everyone stood up… It’s really tough. I always say about our team, we’ve got a lot of experience and we’ve got many different characters which is great, you want that in a team. But everyone buys in. Everyone does what the team needs. Everyone’s there to look after each other. And I think that’s something that’s contributed to a few of our successes over the years,” Cummins concluded with a note of pride etched across his visage, holding fast to a memory that will linger for ages in cricket’s vast amphitheater.