On this day, five years ago, Australia had outclassed New Zealand in a one-sided final of the 2015 Cricket World Cup to lift the coveted title for the record fifth time at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) under the captaincy of Michael Clarke on March 29, 2015.
Mitchell Starc was phenomenal and was later adjudged the Player of the Tournament award for his stellar show in the World Cup 2015 especially in the final, where he produced the moment of final by dismissing tournament’s most dangerous batsman and New Zealand’s captain Brendon McCullum with his accurate yorker in the first over itself.
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The final of the 2015 World Cup was the final game for Australia skipper Michael Clarke for his country, as he called time on his career on March 29 while dedicating the title triumph to late cricketer Phillip Hughes.
Following the historic triumph over the Black Caps, Clarke was given the memorable tribute by his teammates who carried him on the shoulders, as they parade the World Cup trophy around the MCG.
Remembering Australia’s 2015 World Cup triumph, Clarke revealed his message to his teammates during the tournament and it was ‘play with freedom’.
As per reports in cricket.com.au, Clarke said on Sunday (March 29): “My message throughout the whole tournament was ‘play with freedom’. The thing about the squad we picked is we had so many superstars who wanted to be on the big stage.”
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The former skipper further said that he wanted to allow those x-factor superstars – David Warner, Steve Smith, Mitch Starc, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitch Marsh to get on that big stage and show the world how good they are.
Clarke added: “There were a lot of big egos on the team and they wanted the bigger game, bigger crowd, bigger moment.
For me it was about our training and preparation is so important because then all I wanted to do was allow these x-factor players - Faulkner, Maxwell, Warner, Starc, Smith - these superstars to get on stage and show the world how good they are, and that’s what happened.”
Recalling the iconic title triumph, he said: "What I love most about that World Cup, it wasn't what we said, it was what we did. I hope I set the tone with that regarding me getting back on the field."
Clarke signed off by saying: "It didn't matter how many times somebody told me I wasn't going to be fit or how many times I told the world I was going to be fit. That was irrelevant. If you say you're going to be fit, go and get fit. If you're going to play, go play. I just feel every single one of us said less and did more."
(With cricket.com.au Inputs)
