'I think we’ll be smiling for a fair while' - Pat Cummins elated after reaching home with World Cup

Pat Cummins, Australia's skipper, expressed the surrealness of clinching the world championship, admitting it hadn't fully hit them yet. Touching down in Sydney, he described an endless loop of joyous feelings among the team. The elation of their historic victory in the Cricket World Cup lingered, etching perpetual smiles on their faces. Cummins' reflections underscore the lasting impact of their triumph and the euphoria they experienced, hinting at an unforgettable chapter in their cricketing journey.

The right-arm pacer steered Australia to their 6th World Cup triumph in India, triumphing over the favored hosts in Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, November 19. The 30-year-old's standout performance in the final was a beacon of inspiration, spearheading the charge that stunned India, previously riding a formidable 10-match winning streak. Leading from the front, he orchestrated a victory that etched a new chapter in Australia's cricketing history.

"I think we’ll be smiling for a fair while. We are still buzzing. Every half an hour so, you kind of remember that you just won a World Cup and get excited all over again. You only get one chance every four years and especially playing somewhere like India, it’s hard,” Cummins told the press as quoted by India Today.

“It almost became sudden death (on slow start in World Cup 2023), The belief never left, even at the start we knew we hadn’t played our best, but we kind of knew once we clicked we could take on anyone, and that proved to be the case,” he added.

Pat Cummins rose up to the occasion

Australia, under Cummins' captaincy, brought an electric energy to the field after winning the toss and choosing to bowl on a parched Ahmedabad pitch. His crucial dismissals of Virat Kohli (54) and Shreyas Iyer (4) limited India to 240 in their allotted 50 overs, despite Rohit Sharma's aggressive batting. Travis Head's spectacular 137 propelled Australia to chase down the target in just 43 overs, sealing a commanding victory in the Finals.

Despite stumbling in their initial two matches against India and South Africa, doubts arose regarding Australia's World Cup contention. However, the team unwaveringly held onto their belief. The Aussie skipper and fellow pacer Josh Hazlewood greeted warmly upon arrival at Sydney airport, and addressed the press. Notably, seven members of the triumphant World Cup squad opted to stay in India for the upcoming T20I series, further showcasing their commitment.