Reactions from the Australian players after winning the World Cup
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-20231:39
Where does this rank among Australia’s World Cup wins?
Josh Hazlewood: “I think this is bigger [than 2015]. Obviously we had won at home in front of our home fans, but the challenges we’ve been through in the last couple of months – coming here, and playing in those conditions against India, which is a pretty special team. Again, to win on a day like this is amazing. Such a great crowd; the Indian fans are second to none. A couple had started leaving there towards the end, but some crowd! I think that’s just the belief that’s in the squad. The first two games [against India and South Africa] were against probably two of the better teams in the competition, but to sort of be knocking on wood the whole tournament basically, and [we’ve] just been on a run. I think tonight was our perfect game just about. We put it together when it counts.”Marnus Labuschagne: “What we’ve achieved today is unbelievable. It’s the best achievement I’ve ever been part of. Just to come to India… ten from ten with one to play – they’ve been the team of the tournament, they’ve played unbelievably. But you knew if we played our best cricket, we had a chance. Our bowlers were sensational, and then Travis [Head] put on a hell of a display. It’s great to be a part of it. I know you guys know I’m a man of faith, and believe in god. The way everything’s happened is unbelievable to me. It’s just amazing; I’m lost for words. The amount of times I thought I’m done – even last night the team didn’t get named until about 10.10 [pm]. Coaches went to the ground – might be dewy, I might be out. I’m very thankful to them for sticking with me. I don’t have many words to explain. Few months ago, I wasn’t even in South Africa in the one-day team; and to play 19 games straight is truly a miracle. I don’t know how; I give thanks to god for that.”Related
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Travis Head: “Yeah, would’ve been sitting on the couch at home [if he had not recovered from injury in time]. So yeah, very lucky that everything went well. And I was able to get back here… Yeah, I was a little bit nervous. Marnus was quite exceptional. That really soaked up the pressure and yeah, it was just an amazing partnership [of 192 runs for the fourth wicket].”Felt like the way when Mitch Marsh came out and took the game on, albeit didn’t go on with, it sort of set the tone and that was the energy that we wanted, and we knew that the wicket may get tough. It was a great decision to bowl first when we won the toss, and the wicket got better as the day went on.”Probably [Rohit Sharma’s] the unluckiest man in the world. Again, it’s something that I’ve worked on. I couldn’t imagine being 100 but could imagine probably holding on to that one [catch]. Again, nice to hold on to something that’s important… To be able to do that on a big stage in front of the full house and all that pressure is a nice thing.”Travis Head took a truly stunning catch to dismiss Rohit Sharma•Associated Press
Mitchell Starc: “He [Cummins] was phenomenal. I think he’s been phenomenal all tournament. His decision making, his leadership, at times he’s needed to step up with the ball when it’s a bit flat. He’s been phenomenal for us and he’s just capped off an unbelievable eight weeks with this group.”Between Pat, Ron [Andrew McDonald], all that coaching staff, all the players across the formats, it’s been an incredible winter. I don’t think you could write a script to top the winter we’ve had. To win a World Cup in India – it’s been a fantastic eight weeks, bit tough but gee whiz! It’s been bloody successful and bloody enjoyable.”David Warner: “Our bowlers were fantastic, the sort of flow from last game, they set the tone from ball one and the fielding again tonight supported that. To bowl them [India] out for 240 in the final is absolutely exceptional. There was a bit of nervous energy up in the change room [during the chase]. We sat in the dressing-room part, we sat in the lunchroom part, came in at one stage for a look. Fantastic partnership there with Marnus and Heady. What an incredible comeback from Heady, [got] injured in South Africa, come back in and score his hundred in his first game and a hundred here tonight in front of a jam-packed crowd. He was just absolutely phenomenal.”Steven Smith: “It’s incredible, the atmosphere was amazing here today. It was just a great performance. As Davey just said, our bowlers really set the tone, fielding was great this evening. Travis Head, the show he put on was just incredible. [He] took the game on even when we were 3 for 60-odd [47 for 3], just kept going, kept playing to his strengths. I thought Marnus played an unbelievable knock at the other end in a supporting role. It was a great partnership, and yeah, another one [World Cup title].Two-time ODI World Cup winners – Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, David Warner, and Mitchell Marsh – strike a pose with the trophy•ICC/Getty Images
“Wasn’t the ideal start for us [in the tournament]. Yeah, we had belief that we got a good group of players here, great staff and we had belief that we were going to turn around and, fortunately, we were able to do that and get ourselves into the top four, and then it’s a whole new ball game from there. Australia typically plays pretty well in those moments, and yeah, it’s another dream come true today to win another final. It’s been a pretty big year for us, winning the Test championship and then this, and it’s been great fun.”Glenn Maxwell: “It feels amazing. I think we all pretty much got excited when it got down to 20 [required]. I had sort of resigned to the fact that I wouldn’t have to bat – much like [in] 2015 – but unfortunately Heady got out. But it was nice to be out there with Marnus [at the end], and have the guys come out, and what a win! It’s a bit different when you watch Heady take on [Jasprit] Bumrah; not so often you’re next in… but how good were those two! Marnus soaked the pressure out there – he was absolutely outstanding – and Heady, that ball-striking under pressure in a final was second to none.”Mitchell Marsh: “Pure elation. I said to a few boys just earlier – it’s been hard. We won when Sri Lanka were 0 for 120; that feels like a lifetime ago. But to be here with this group, it’s unbelievable.”