New Delhi: One comment that stood out from Pat Cummins’ pre-match press conference ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup final against India was how his team planned to silence the crowd to turn the game to their advantage.
“The crowd is obviously going to be very one-sided; but in sport, there’s nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent and that’s the aim for us,”, he had remarked.
The Australian walked the talk and silenced the fans at a jam-packed Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with a clinical performance to lift the ODI World Cup title for a record-extending sixth time.
Seventh months have passed since the heartbreaking moment for the Indian fans but Cummins’ cold-blooded comments are still fresh in the memories.
India, and Afghanistan combine to silence Cummins & Co
In November 2023, it was Cummins & Co. that silenced the billions of Indians. Seven months later, Cummins and the Australian team are at the receiving end after being eliminated from the T20 World Cup.
Asked to predict the four semi-finalists of the T20 World Cup 2024, Cummins, with a cocky tone, told CNBC-TV18: “Definitely Australia, the other three you can choose, I don’t care”.
Perhaps, it was the over-confidence that led to their downfall.
Australia were unbeaten heading into the Super Eight game against Afghanistan on Saturday. But they got the shock of their lives against a spirited Afghan side, which stunned the current ODI champions by 21 runs to keep their semis hopes afloat. A day later, India aided the chances of their neighbours by handing the second successive defeat to the Aussies in the Super Eight stage.
With their hopes hanging by a thread, Australia prayed and hoped for Afghanistan’s defeat against Bangladesh, a result that would have sent them through to the semi-final. But destiny had other plans. Afghanistani cricketers produced another spirited performance to edge past their Asian rivals in a low-scoring thriller and enter the semi-final of a World Cup for the first time.
Their historic win also knocked out the Australians, who headed home empty-handed.
Aussie fast bowler and ODI team captain Pat Cummins was forced to eat humble pie after Australia’s T20 World Cup elimination Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
