The Australian men’s cricket team and support staff exited the Dubai International Cricket Stadium after securing their maiden T20 World Cup title to a musical guard of honour and the players made sure that will be memorable for the ones playing the instruments and for those watching them.
Ashton Agar, coach Justin Langer, pacer Josh Hazlewood were the evident ones grooving to the music, but the highlight of it was the all-rounder Marcus Stoinis.
In a video shared by Subhayan Chakraborty, an Indian journalist present in Dubai, Stoinis wearing shorts was showing off his dance steps, even before he was in the middle of the guard of honour. Midway through his dance moves, Stoinis was quick to help the ones beating the drums and started beating them ferociously.
On one side, there was Steve Smith who seemed unperturbed by everything happening around him, while Stoinis’s mad moves, on the other hand, stole the show.
Wait for Marcus Stoinis #T20WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/IdefnJNSK8
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) November 14, 2021
Me, coming out of the examination hall after the last paper pic.twitter.com/6vr1Ch7pEP
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) November 15, 2021
man i fcking love stoin what is this guy https://t.co/RxwFFK6rEv
— S (@sanchihihii) November 15, 2021
IPL has turned Australians into something else https://t.co/VcCDBieO5B
— Jayadev Nair (@jayadevnair41) November 15, 2021
Stoinis pagla gya aajib aajib harkate kar rha https://t.co/stdyC1qwAh
— Nick (@nick09ro) November 15, 2021
Love it! He’s a guy who knows how to have fun, plays in the right spirit and is just living the dream.
— Bimal Mirwani (@BimalMirwani) November 15, 2021
Stoinis be like.. ye mai kar leta hu pic.twitter.com/aB6qwEUL1P
— Mritunjay Dubey (@mddubey409) November 15, 2021
There is always this one Stoinis at every Telugu Baraat https://t.co/U8cCdyk6W4
— Agastya (@ImpactInline) November 15, 2021
As for the game, Finch opted to bowl first and his bowlers responded nicely to hold on New Zealand to just 57 runs in the first 10 overs. However, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson was the late arrival to the party as he played one of the best T20 knocks ever.
It had everything, a dropped catch, a one-handed six, a 22-run over and a tame dismissal. Williamson took on Australia’s lead seamer Mitchell Starc, hitting three fours in his second over and 22 runs in his third over. He hit a Rishabh Pant-esque six, followed by one more maximum to reach his half-century.
Williamson’s 85 runs off just 48 balls helped Blackcaps post a score of 172 runs, which looked near-impossible at one stage.
Australian skipper Finch’s poor form continued, but they had a rejuvenated David Warner and marauder, Mitchell Marsh, to deflate the opponents. Warner was quiet early on, Marsh took his chances sent Adam Milne to the cleaners in his first over,
After the powerplay, they both got aggressive as they threw Ish Sodhi, New Zealand’s main wicket-taking bowler this tournament, out of the attack, belting boundaries left, right and centre. Warner notched up his third half-century of the tournament and Marsh brought up his second.
Glenn Maxwell provided the finishing touch as Australia chased down the score with seven balls to spare, followed by some outstanding celebrations in Dubai.
