World Cup final Australia v India: Pat Cummins’ humble act post-match

The skipper was filmed handing the 2023 World Cup trophy to Australia’s Indian support staff, who posed excitedly as Cummins took a picture of the group on their phone.

Indian fans went wild over the humble post-match moment, with social media comments lauding the captain a “pure gentlemen” and “true leader”.

“That’s really sweet and gentlemanly of him, he’s a great bloke. Although today’s results broke me,” one fan commented.

“Great gesture by a great sportsman,” a second poster commented.

“He is a good human being, proved before as well,” another person replied, referring to the $50,000 donation Cummins made towards the PM Cares Fund in 2021, an initiative to help India’s fight against Covid-19.

Yet it was the humble, heartwarming moment Cummins shared with Indian staff after the match that had cricket heads talking.

“How can I hate this guy now?” one commenter asked.

“Good gesture, he is such a down to earth man,” a fellow fan responded.

Despite what commentator Ian Smith labelled a “brutal” loss for the Indian side that “broke a billion hearts along the way”, Cummins’ “class act” ended the World Cup on a high note.

It came after Australia lost its first two games to spoil what everyone (in India at least) thought was going to be a dominant home-turf victory for Rohit Sharma’s men.

Cummins’ teammates also praised the skipper for his leadership and stellar sportsmanship, with Travis Head labelling the captain’s response to a “one-sided” crowd a major “leadership lesson”.

“The way he reframed the Indian crowd and attitude and converted it into a challenge,” Head celebrated as Australia were led to a sixth World Cup win.

“Words can’t express how happy Australia is with you and the team’s performance,” an avid Aussie fan commented underneath.

“What a great captain of the ship.”