On touchdown home, captain Pat Cummins said his Team Australia had created their own legacy by winning the nation’s record-extending sixth ODI World Cup in India this week.
Australia upset the hosts, snapping their unbeaten run in the tournament, by six wickets in Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad, only months after beating India to claim their maiden World Test Championship title.
The Australia skipper reached Sydney with teammates on Wednesday, while some reached Melbourne, and was still glowing about their achievement.
“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 had to work their way back into the tournament after losing their opening matches against India and South Africa but were a juggernaut once they reached the semi-finals.
Cummins said the squad had never doubted themselves.
“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.”