Pat Cummins on the nature of the AUS-NZ rivalry: ‘If anything it makes you want to beat your mates even more’ | Cricket-world-cup News
26 games later in the 2023 ODI World Cup, Australia and New Zealand, the 2015 edition finals lock horns in the league stage at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala.
Sitting third and fourth in the points table after five games, just the two points separate the Trans-Tasman nations, who have shared the big stage before.
“It’s always a big event. In my career, 2015 we had that awesome match at the Eden Park, and then in the final. We had a T20 World Cup final a couple of years back, it’s always a great contest. On a personal note as well. We know a lot of the New Zealand guys as well. Played a lot with them, against them. It’s good fun,” Australia skipper Pat Cummins said on the fixture’s hory a day before their 12th meeting in cricket’s marquee tournament.
The nature of the rivalry however, seems to have come a long way from the 1981 underarm incident that saw the then Australia skipper Greg Chappell being tugged on the shirtsleeve a young girl and called a cheat for telling his younger brother, Trevor to roll a decisive ball along the ground. Much in contrast to what the sentiments between the two cricket fraternities were then, came Cummins’ statement on Friday, “Some of them are really good mates with some of our guys as well.” Most Read
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When asked if the pleasant bonding between the two sets of players – unlike the one they have with England – takes the edge away from the fixture, Cummins responded, “I don’t think so. If anything, it makes you want to beat your mates even more. It’ll be intense.”
Going into the match on Saturday, it’s the five-time world champions, who have the upper hand over the Kiwis – having won eight of the 11 matches so far.
While Australia come into the contests on the back of a mammoth 309 run win against the Netherlands, the Kiwis will be looking to get back to winning ways – having lost their first game of the tournament against India last Sunday in Dharamsala.
