Pat Cummins 10-fer helped Australia take a 2-0 lead over Pakistan in the ongoing Test series.

New Delhi: Pat Cummins-led Australia lead the three-match Test series 2-0 after their 79-run win against Shan Masood’s Pakistan in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on December 29. Mohammad Hafeez, however, slammed the referees’ controversial decisions and called Pakistan a better team despite suffering a second straight defeat.

The Australian captain fired back at the Pakistan team manager for calling the visitors a better team despite the big loss with a cheeky reply and smile during the post-match press conference, saying: “Ahhhh. Cool. They played well. I’m happy that we got the win. It’s the team that wins in the end.”

The Decision Review System (DRS) has become a focal point, a double-edged sword that has sparked many spirited debates. It did the same in this test as a few decisions came into the spotlight.

However, Cummins saw the balance of the game in the imperfect science of decision making. “It all balances itself out,” he asserted, recognizing the nuances of a game in which fortunes swing like a pendulum.

“We do not entirely agree with (that assessment). It’s not a perfect science, the DRS system or referee or anything like that. Some are going your way. Some don’t,” Cummins said.

“There were a few referee calls for both teams. It’s a game. I think it all balances itself out. I feel like this game was 50-50. There was nothing that worried us too much.”

Hafeez lamented the umpires’ decisions but acknowledged the importance of missed catches, crucial moments when fortune slipped through Pakistan’s grasp.

David Warner and Mitch Marsh took advantage of such opportunities, turning spilled chances into a total of 112 runs and reinforcing Cummins’ belief that in the grand tapestry of a match, balance prevails.

Speaking about the crucial wicket of Pakistan captain Shan Masood, who scored 61 off 71 balls and had shared a good partnership with Babar Azam (41), Cummins said he tried the short delivery to catch his counterpart.

“He was playing quite well around the stumps, so I thought, ‘Let’s try some bouncers. Set the fields. See if he wants to take it on,” Cummins said.

On Mohammed Rizwan’s controversial dismissal for 35, with the third umpire ruling in Australia’s favor as the ball kissed the wristband on its way to keeper Alex Carey.

“It just shot right through. I heard something (which I thought was a glove, or thereabouts) so I thought it was worth a review. It was clearly the glove strap.”

Cummins emerged as the lead actor in this cricket drama. His ten-wicket haul secured victory and etched his name in history with a milestone 250th Test wicket. The MCG roared as he surpassed Richie Benaud on Australia’s all-time wicket-taker list, a testament to his skill with the ball.

In the post-match reflections, Cummins spoke about personal satisfaction, finding rhythm and leading a team that had a fantastic year. From the stunning win in the ODI World Cup to a series victory on home soil, Australia basked in the glory of success.

“Personally, I think (I’m) very happy for a few reasons. Probably the biggest reason is it’s the best I feel like I’ve bowled for a while,” Cummins said.

“My rhythm felt very good. I felt like I had a good pace. I knew where my pulse was. I could check the seam. I bowled some good bounces. So I felt very happy with how I was bowling.

“And as a team it was just a huge year across all formats. We had a lot of success and to top it all off we won a series at home, which we are proud of, which is quite satisfying.”

As the curtains came down on the Boxing Day Test, the Benaud Qadir Trophy found its home. The clash of willows and leather had woven a story of resilience, skill and the unwavering spirit of the players who graced the hallowed grounds.

• Waqar Younis was stunned to hear that Pat Cummins had suffered a childhood injury
• The Australian bowler’s middle finger and index finger are the same length
• His sister slammed a door with his finger when he was four years old

By Ollie Lewis for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 03:46 EST, December 28, 2023 | Updated: 04:04 EST, December 28, 2023

• Mitchell Starc has been sold for a record amount at the IPL auction
• The Australian star will play for Kolkata next season
• His World Cup-winning teammate Travis Head has been arrested

By PAMedia

Published: 04:15 EST, December 19, 2023 | Updated: 11:51 EST, December 19, 2023

Pat Cummins became the highest ever buy in IPL history, but he was soon surpassed by compatriot Mitchell Starc, who set a new all-time high of Rs 24.75 crore.

New Delhi: Former India captain Anil Kumble believes Australia’s World Cup-winning skipper Pat Cummins has received an unexpectedly high price of Rs 20.50 crore at the IPL auction for his leadership qualities. A fast bowling all-rounder, Cummins was poached by SRH for a whopping Rs 20.50 crore after an intense bidding war ensued with Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings at the IPL mini-auction ahead of the 2024 season.

“That is a very high price. Rs 20 crores was not expected. We knew he would go for a higher price, but Rs 20 crore, it has become a record,” Kumble, also a former India coach, told JioCinema. With the winning bid, Cummins became the highest ever buy in IPL history, but was soon surpassed by compatriot Mitchell Starc, who set a new all-time IPL auction record of Rs 24.75 crore.

“SRH may be looking for a captain and that could be the reason why we are seeing desperation to get in,” he said. “Maybe RCB was also looking for a long-term captain. Good luck to Pat Cummins. Three trophies, but this would probably be the icing on the cake.”

England World Cup-winning skipper Eoin Morgan believes Cummins drew the fee for his recent success leading the Australian national team. “The player that Pat Cummins is and given the last year and a half he has had, both with leadership and as a bowler in the World Test Championship winning side, retaining the Ashes in England during the English summer and then leading the Australian ODI team to another ODI World Cup,” Morgan said.

“So recent form and confidence play a big role. It is also a matter of supply and demand. There are quite a few teams looking for leadership roles that can be filled not only as captains, but also in the locker room. So Pat Cummins thoroughly justifies his price tag.”

Usman Khawaja says he will fight his ban after Cricket Australia stopped him from sharing a ‘humanitarian message’ of peace during the Gaza war.

Khawaja, a proud Muslim, unveiled plans to wear shoes with the slogans ‘freedom is a human right’ and ‘all lives matter’ during Australia’s test match against Pakistan in Perth on Thursday.

However, cricket’s governing body has directed Khawaja to ‘enforce’ the rules banning the display of personal messages.

“We support our players’ right to express personal opinions,” a CA statement said.

“But the ICC has put in place rules banning the display of personal messages, which we expect the players to adhere to.”

Khawaja, 36, has since responded on social media to CA’s stance and insisted he will try to get approval to wear the shoes.

“I noticed that what I wrote on my shoes has caused a bit of a stir. “I won’t say much, there’s no need,” he said.

“But what I do want is for anyone who has felt offended in some way to ask themselves these questions.

‘Isn’t freedom for everyone? Aren’t all lives equal? For me personally, it doesn’t matter what race, religion or culture you are.

‘Let’s be honest about it. When I say that all lives are equal, people get offended to the point where they call me up and say, isn’t that the bigger problem?

‘These people clearly don’t believe what I wrote. It’s not just about a handful of people. You would be shocked to see how many people feel this way.

‘What I wrote on my shoes is not political. I don’t take sides. For me, human life is equal. One Jewish life equals one Muslim life, equals one Hindu life, and so on. I only stand up for those who have no voice.

‘This is close to my heart. When I see thousands of innocent children dying without any repercussions or remorse, I pictured my two girls. What if this was them?

‘No one chooses where they are born. And then I see the world turning its back on them. My heart can’t handle it.

‘I already had the feeling that my life was not equal to others growing up. But luckily for me, I’ve never lived in a world where that lack of equality was life or death.

“I have been told by the ICC that I cannot wear my boots on the pitch as they believe this is a political statement under their guidelines. I don’t believe this is so; it is a humanitarian call.

“I will respect their opinion and decision, but I will fight it and try to get approval.

‘Freedom is a human right. And all lives are equal. I will always believe that, whether you agree with me or not.”

Khawaja has received the support of his captain, Pat Cummins, who supported his teammate’s right to protest, as well as the message itself.

“It’s one of our strongest points, our team, that everyone has their own passionate views and individual thoughts,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

‘I spoke to Uzzie about it briefly today. I don’t think he meant to make too much of a fuss about it, but we support him.

‘He said he wouldn’t (wear the shoes)

“I don’t know if Uzzie was on the other side (the ICC rules).

‘His shoes said: ‘All Lives Are Equal’. I don’t think that’s very divisive. I don’t think anyone can really have many complaints about that.

“Everyone on our team has their own individual thoughts, and I love that. You want everyone to be their own individual selves for the team.

‘What did the shoes say: ‘All Lives Are Equal’. I support that.’

Currently, a second-string Australian side is playing a five-match T20I series against a young Indian team led by Suryakumar Yadav. The Men in Blue lead the series 2-0 and only need a win to clinch the series.

New Delhi: Australia’s ODI World Cup-winning skipper Pat Cummins has revealed his ‘deathbed moment’ in a recent interaction. The speedster said he would take Virat Kohli’s wicket, which he scalped during the 2023 ICC World Cup final on November 19 in Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

“On your deathbed, seventy years from now, what is the moment you will think about from that finale?” asked columnist and author Peter FitzSimons.

“I think the Virat Kohli wicket…,” Cummins replied.

During the pre-match press conference, Cummins wished that he would like to close 1 lakh fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium, and he did just that.

“I was obviously very pumped. And then we’re in the huddle after that wicket, and Steve Smith says, “Guys, just listen to the crowd.” And we took a break, and it was as quiet as a library; 100,000 Indians there, and it was so quiet. I will cherish that moment for a long time,” Cummins said.

Batting first, India huffed and puffed to reach a score of 240 runs after 50 overs of play despite getting off to a good start in the first 11 overs of the match.

Australia were led in reply by Travis Head, who scored a brilliant 120-ball (137) to take the Aussies home and guide the team to their 6th ODI World Cup. Australia is the only team in the world to have won world titles in every format of the game. Earlier this year, they won the ICC World Test Championship, beating India in the top-flight match in England.

Currently, a second-string Australian side is playing a five-match T20I series against a young Indian team led by Suryakumar Yadav. The Men in Blue lead the series 2-0 and only need a win to clinch the series.

• Pat Cummins has opened up about his ‘woke’ views
• The Australian captain has been criticized for sharing his views
• He says he will never give in on important issues

By Ollie Lewis for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 05:10 EST, November 26, 2023 | Updated: 06:01 EST, November 26, 2023

Since the sixth World Cup victory, the Australian media has been buzzing all over the internet.

New Delhi: Australia topped the world for the sixth time in ODI cricket history as the Pat Cummins-led side romped to a famous win over India in the 2023 ICC World Cup Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Putting Rohit Sharma and co to bat first, the Men in Blue huffed and puffed to reach a score of 240 runs in the first innings. Early hiccups saw the visitors fade into the background, but then Travis Head smashed a memorable 137 to guide the Yellow Army to a six-wicket win.

This was Australia’s 8th world title in cricket, having won the T20 World Cup in 2021 and the World Test Championship crown against India this year in June. Since the win, the Australian media has been buzzing all over the internet, calling the famous triumph a ‘Silence Golden For Cummins’ Men’, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.

Pat Cummins specifically talked about silencing the home crowd ahead of the final as nothing would give him satisfaction than trapping 1,30,000 spectators in a big cauldron like the Narendra Modi Stadium.

The Western Australia wrote that Travis Head turned India’s dream theater into a “colosseum of heartache.” That is absolutely true as the fans had to leave the stadium with tears in their eyes and the Indian bowlers had no answer to his attack.

The examiner reported that Australia ‘stunned’ India in the final and The advertiser wrote that this win is an “incredible upset.” Clearly, the Australian media, like everyone else, singled out India as the so-called stronger side, but eventually Rome too fell and so did India in the 13th edition of the marquee event.

Australia are cricket’s one-day world champions for the sixth time after they outwitted hosts and favorites India on a famous night at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Their hero was opener Travis Head, whose superior 137 from 120 balls steered a chase of 241 through the choppy waters of 47 for three with the help of the vigilant Marnus Labuschagne.

To the disbelief of more than 92,000 fans, they added an increasingly easy 192 as victory came with seven overs to spare. It didn’t matter that Head fell while aiming for the winning goal. Glenn Maxwell drew the next two balls, and the Australian players sprinted onto the field in jubilation. Only Damien Martyn and Ricky Ponting, who posted an unbroken 234 for Australia against India in Johannesburg in 2003, have shared a bigger position in a world championship. Cup final.

Above all, this was a triumph for captain Pat Cummins, who bravely chose to bowl in the afternoon heat, took the key wicket of Virat Kohli and rotated his bowlers as India became hopelessly stuck in the middle overs.

Cummins is not always known for his tactical acumen, but he played blindside here and can now add the one-day World Cup to the World Test Championship that Australia won at The Oval in June when India were again the victims.

Add to that retaining the Ashes – Manchester rain or otherwise – and he has built quite the CV to wave at those who think he should be replaced by Steve Smith.

But this was as much India’s despair as Australia’s joy, and they become the first home side not to win the World Cup since the West Indies in 2007.

They had the best batsman of the tournament in Kohli, and the best bowler in Mohammed Shami. They even let the BCCI pull the strings behind the scenes to ensure the most pleasant surfaces. But despite rolling out their own red carpet, they managed to trip themselves up.

The pressure of expectation played a role. While India won ten out of ten matches in the group stages and semi-finals, they built an image that encouraged their fans to believe that they would not screw up in a knockout match this time. And you can see why: for 10/11ths of this competition they have reigned supreme.

Perhaps they needed more thorough testing more often. Their body language was ominously silent as New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson had threatened to harass them during Wednesday’s semi-final in Mumbai. Now it was completely silent.

Australia, however, know how to win trophies, and the fighting spirit that has seen them overcome two early defeats – against India themselves and South Africa – was on display again after a stuttering start to their chase.

In the second over, David Warner ended a cut-off Shami and was caught by Kohli at slip for seven – a loose stroke, but one that indicated Australia’s determination to get ahead of the pace before the spinners of India emerged.

It was 41 for two when Mitchell Marsh made a flashing cut off Jasprit Bumrah to trail by 15. Six runs later, Smith, on four, was trapped in Bumrah’s crease, whose appeal was answered in the affirmative by umpire Richard Kettleborough . .

For once, Smith refused to ask for a review, only to show DRS that he had gone outside the line of the stump. It was a moment that seemed to indicate that things might go India’s way.

But if Head, the non-aggressor, felt guilty about failing to convince Smith to use the technology, he began to make amends. As Labuschagne pushed and pushed, Head played the shots, went to a half-century off 58 balls, knocked Shami back down and wristed Bumrah over midwicket.

Labuschagne survived a tight lbw shout on 34 against Bumrah, and Head would have been run out on 99 had Ravindra Jadeja hit from the covers. Seconds later, he celebrated a brave but classy century off 95 balls.

But as the partnership continued to grow and the fans began to drift away, only one outcome became possible. The empty stands were a heartbreaking sight for a team that expected so much more.

Earlier, the Indian innings was smooth enough at 76 for one in the 10th over, with only the wicket of Shubman Gill – who pulled Mitchell Starc to middle – showing Cummins deciding to bowl first.

But Rohit Sharma was superbly caught by Glenn Maxwell at Head and ran back to cover to intercept a huge lead.

Sharma was on course for an otherwise imperious 47 off 31 balls, and when Cummins left Shreyas Iyer behind in the next over, India were suddenly 81 for three.

Cummins, who was bowling like a dream, had said beforehand that he would try to silence a large crowd, and his plan worked admirably.

With Ravichandran Ashwin left out again, this Indian team has four rabbits, and a combination of that fear, plus a slow delivery, meant Kohli and KL Rahul in particular settled for consolidation.

When Rahul Maxwell paddle-swept a four, it was both his first boundary, off his 59th ball, and the first of the innings for 98. The warning was understandable, but it took both for me to continue.

Instead, Kohli – having recorded his ninth score of 50 or more in 11 innings of a record-breaking tournament – continued against Cummins. Shortly afterwards, when Australia got the ball back, Ravindra Jadeja fell nine seconds behind Hazlewood, before Rahul beat Starc on 66.

His own half-century had come off 86 balls, with a single four. It was the slowest 50 of this World Cup, until Labuschagne took 99 balls a few hours later.

At 203 for six in the 42nd over, with only Suryakumar Yadav and the tail left, Australia pounced. Mohammed Shami beat Starc, Jasprit Bumrah was trapped by Adam Zampa – the leg-spinner’s 23rd wicket of the tournament – and Suryakumar fluttered a pull from Hazlewood to give wicketkeeper Josh Inglis the last of his five catches.

When Kuldeep Yadav was bowled out in the final, India were all out for 240 – one less than both New Zealand and England scored on a similarly poor pitch in the 2019 final at Lord’s.

Australia had bowled beautifully, but India – with the exception of Sharma and Kohli – had shown surprisingly little intent. After the 10-over powerplay, they hit just four fours, an astonishing display of inaction from a team that has left a trail of destruction in recent weeks.

Finally, India has lost its chance of a third one-day World Cup. As for Australia, there wasn’t much yellow at Narendra Modi Stadium tonight, but what little there was shone brightly.

Mohammed Shami is the current highest wicket-taker in ODI World Cup 2023 with 23 wickets in six matches.

Ahmedabad: Mohammed Shami will pose a ‘major threat’ to the Australian team in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, captain Pat Cummins admitted on Saturday. The Indian pacer rose above everyone in the tournament. Shami, drafted into the playing

After a match-winning 7/57 in the semi-final against New Zealand, the Shami threat will remain in the minds of every Australian. “Mohammed Shami is a big threat, India are quite a versatile team,” Cummins said at the pre-match press conference.

Although India were the only undefeated side in the tournament, Australia started with two defeats before winning eight matches.