The Australian coach Justin Langer, who had to bear it all after his team failed continuously in the past year, was ecstatic to have won his first major trophy with the bunch of players. Appointed the coach in 2018, Langer was part of the infamous sandpaper gate scandal that pushed Australian cricket way back.
“It's hard to process into words,” said the 51-year-old when asked about his feelings after the global glory that his team achieved by beating the trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the final of the T20 World Cup 2021.
“This is such a special group of people. When we all got back together it was great. It is a very special moment for everyone, almost like a reunion. We knew how much talent we had,” Langer said trying to impress upon the point that when his team failed, it was mostly because it didn’t have the services of its top players.
Talking about the players who shone in this World Cup, the former Australia Test opener lauded Micthell Marsh, who was the Player of the Match in the final, for grabbing the opportunity when he got one.
“Leading into the World Cup in the series against West Indies and Bangladesh, there were a few missing pieces and Mitchell Marsh took one of those pieces. We embraced it and had fun,” Langer said.
Praising the bowlers, the left-handed batter and one of the stern taskmasters said that he was impressed by the way Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood performed. “Zamps (Adam Zampa) puts a smile on my face. He is different, a bit hippy, but so so competitive. We have seen leg spinners having an impact in this format. Hazlewood had some back issues in the last World Cup but has come back strong,” he said.