• Home
  • Player Stories
  • Ashes 2023 Pat Cummins Elated After Edgbaston Win Praises Khawaja And Lyon

Ashes 2023 | Pat Cummins Elated After Edgbaston Win, Praises Khawaja And Lyon

image-lj4r30ovPat Cummins celebrates the winning runs (Twitter)

Pat Cummins fittingly notched up the winning runs for Australia in a thrilling Ashes affair in Birmingham. The WTC winners claimed the contest by two wickets and few minutes to spare, to go 1-0 up in the five-match series.

Cummins himself formed a 55-run ninth-wicket partnership with Nathan Lyon to guide his side past the finishing line during the twilight stages of the final day’s play.

After the match, the Australian captain praised Lyon, and also hailed Usman Khawaja’s twin knocks in the game. He credited the visiting Australian crowd at the Edgbaston Stadium for extending their support, and took a subtle dig at the English supporters for their unfriendly Day 4 chants towards Steve Smith.

Pat Cummins claims Lyon a ‘captain’s dream’

During the presentation ceremony, Australian skipper Pat Cummins acknowledged the visiting crowd in Birmingham, and expressed his admiration for their support despite getting outnumbered by the Englishmen. The bowling veteran also took this opportunity to hit back at England fans, in reference to their behaviour towards Steve Smith on Day 4.

“They’ve (Australian supporters) been outnumbered. We Aussies aren’t great at chants and songs, but they stuck through it.”

Cummins also stated that he was confident of pulling off a win, even though they required over 50 runs by the fall of their eighth wicket.

“Honestly, pretty good. That wicket didn’t have too many demons and Carey was batting beautifully.”

The legendary paceman further praised Usman Khawaja for his twin match-winning knocks in the Test, and described leading spinner Lyon as an “absolute superstar”.

“(On Khawaja) Incredible composure, played at his own pace and he has been a class player the last couple of years. Really happy for him. I think he had a good feel for the wicket, and then everyone chipped in around him. (On Nathan Lyon) He’s huge, both innings he is putting down one end. He is an absolute superstar, he is calm and goes about his work. He is a captain’s dream.”

The two teams will now take a week’s rest, before resuming their Ashes battle in Lord’s, London. A must-win Test for the hosts, the match will commence on June 28 at the iconic venue.