'Still buzzing', but World Cup winners Australia return home to low-key welcome

Australia captain Pat Cummins expressed that his team had established a unique legacy by securing the nation's record-extending sixth ODI World Cup title, but the victorious squad returned home from India on Wednesday to a low-key welcome after their six-wicket triumph over the hosts in the final in Ahmedabad

This victory followed their success earlier this year in claiming the maiden World Test Championship against the same opponents.

As Cummins and his teammates landed in Sydney, the captain continued to radiate pride and satisfaction about their remarkable achievement, even as there were just a handful of media persons present at the airport and no fans in sight.

"Every half an hour or so, you kind of remember that we just won the World Cup and get excited all over again," Cummins told reporters at the airport. "So we’re still buzzing, it’s been an awesome couple of days and I think we’ll be smiling for a fair while.

"I think they have created their own legacy," Cummins added. "I mean, a World Cup, you only get one chance every four years and especially playing someone like India, it’s hard. So to be put up against the rest of the world and come away with a medal, that’s -- it doesn’t get any better than that."


Australia faced an uphill battle in the tournament, recovering from initial setbacks against India and South Africa. However, once they got a couple of wins under their belt, they transformed into a formidable force.

Cummins emphasized that the squad maintained unwavering confidence in themselves, even in the face of adversity during their challenging start.

"You look back on now that we’ve won and you think: ‘Wow, everything came together'," he added.

"But the belief never left, even at the start. We knew we hadn’t played our best but kind of knew once we clicked we could take on anyone, and it proved to be the case."