‘That’s the pinnacle’: Cummins hails World Cup triumph over India

Captain Pat Cummins believes Australia’s brave and defiant World Cup victory over India is the greatest achievement of his team.

Driven by a brilliant century from Travis Head, who scored 137 from 120 balls with 15 fours and four sixes, his second century of the tournament, Australia played relentless cricket, overcoming early jitters to win by six wickets with 42 balls to spare. Australia finished on 4-241 after an exceptional bowling and fielding performance saw India bowled out for 240.

Head was well supported by anchorman Marnus Labuschagne (58 not out in 110 balls), who was not named in Australia’s original World Cup squad but gained opportunities through injuries and earned his place in the finals through weight of runs.

“I think that’s the pinnacle of international cricket, winning a one-day World Cup,” Cummins said. “Especially over here in India, in front of a crowd like this. That’s huge.

“It’s been a big year for everyone. 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.

“Every international team comes together. You only get a shot at it every four years. Even if you have a 10-year career, you might only get two chances at it. The whole cricket world stops with this World Cup. So, it doesn’t get any better.”

Party time: Australia reacted with joy after claiming a sixth World Cup with a superb performance against India.Credit: AP

Australia’s bravery began before the tournament when the team hierarchy decided to carry Head through the first half of their campaign with a broken wrist. It reaped abundant rewards with him winning three player-of-the-match awards in six games, including the semi-final against South Africa in Kolkata last Thursday for his batting and bowling.

On Sunday, the award was for his fielding as well as his batting after he took a running, diving and sprawling catch to get rid of rampant Indian captain Rohit Sharma for 47 scored in just 31 balls. It changed the game. Head finished the tournament with 329 runs for the tournament at an average of 55 and the imposing strike rate of 128.

Cummins proved a brave and decisive leader, continuing to take the game on after Australia lost their first two matches and were threatened with an early exit. They won their next nine straight.

To overcome previously unbeaten India so comprehensively in conditions tailor-made for the home side was one of the great achievements in 146 years of international cricket.

Cummins’ bravery continued on Sunday with his decision to win the toss and bowl against a side that had dominated the tournament batting first. It looked even braver when Sharma propelled his team to their usual rollicking start.

Yet Cummins stood up when it counted in his best bowling performance of the tournament, claiming two important wickets to finish with 2-34 from his 10 overs.

The usually unflappable Cummins admitted to rare pre-match nerves, such was the occasion.

“I always like to say I’m pretty relaxed, but I was a little bit nervous this morning just pacing around waiting for it to get started,” he said. “Just seeing the sea of blue (India shirts) in the hotel, getting nearer the ground and seeing the sea of blue, walking, making their way to the ground, all the cars parked with their selfie cameras out.

Marnus Labuschagne played an excellent supporting role in the run chase.Credit: AP

“You knew you were 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.

“[It was an] awesome day, and the good thing was they weren’t too noisy for most of it.”

With Shubman Gill (4) gone early, Rohit so wonderfully caught by Head, and the dangerous Shreyas Iyer caught behind off a delighted Cummins for just four, India were suddenly 3-81. The wave of noise generated from that sea of blue suddenly dropped to nothing.

Getting rid of Iyer early was the perfect scenario for the Australians, bringing Kohli and KL Rahul together as accumulators relatively early in the innings.

The madness went out of the game. Silence lingered as it was more like Test match batting, rotating the strike.

Cummins reinforced Australia’s dominance when he made a ball lift unexpectedly and Kohli (54 in 63 balls) chopped it into his stumps.

The partnership with Rahul was 67 from more than 18 overs. Without Kohli, Rahul plodded on with no support, making 66 in 107 balls with just one boundary.

Along the way, Adam Zampa dismissed Bumrah for one, equalling the record for the most wickets by a spinner in a World Cup, 23, set by Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralidaran in the West Indies during 2007.

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