World Cup 2023
Cummins: That's the pinnacle in cricket, winning a World Cup in India
|| CF DESK ||
Pat Cummins expressed that leading Australia to World Cup title glory was the "pinnacle in cricket" after his team thwarted the dreams of tournament hosts India with a six-wicket victory in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
"That's huge, that's the pinnacle in cricket, winning a World Cup, especially here in India, and these are the moments you remember for the rest of your life," said Cummins.
"You just got to go and win a World Cup. You can't wait for it. It was a shift after two games. The openers were really aggressive and it was a total buy-in from everyone. We will remember this year for a long, long time. This pips it all."
Cummins' captaincy was particularly commendable, and his decision to field first proved decisive as India, who had previously won all 10 of their matches at the tournament, were restricted to a modest total of 240 all out.
The match unfolded as a personal triumph for Cummins, who had earlier stated that there was no better feeling as an opposition player than silencing a partisan home crowd.
His decision to field first was vindicated as he managed to dismiss key batsmen, including the in-form Shreyas Iyer, and achieved an impressive return of 2-34 in 10 overs.
India's star batsman, Virat Kohli, set a new record for the most runs in a single World Cup, accumulating 765 runs.
However, Cummins played a pivotal role in dismissing Kohli for 54, leaving India at 148-4 and the massive crowd of over 92,000 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in stunned silence.
Cummins' strategic captaincy and stellar performance with the ball were crucial factors in Australia's successful campaign, and his leadership played a key role in securing the World Cup title.