Ponting revives World Cup memories amid Covid-19 lockdown

Sunday was the 17th anniversary of that final which Australia won by 125 runs to become world champions for the third time; Ponting had scored 140 off 121 balls.

Ricky Ponting in action at the Cricket World Cup 2003 final against India at the Wanderers in South Africa.

 

Reminiscing about his epic 140 in the 2003 World Cup final, Australian great Ricky Ponting says he preferred launching an all-out attack against the India instead of batting through the innings for a team total of 300.

Sunday was the 17th anniversary of that final which Australia won by 125 runs to become world champions for the third time.

Skipper Ponting led from the front with an unbeaten 140 to power Australia to an imposing 359/ 2 in 50 overs.

“In the second drinks break, Australia were two down with 15 overs to go, I told the 12th man tell the boys to be ready because I am going to go for everything, right here, right now.

“If it comes off we are going to get a huge score. I am not going to be happy with batting through and getting to 300 against that Indian attack. If I go from now and it comes off, we are going to post a massive score,” Ponting told in a video uploaded by cricket.com.au.

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“I had faith in the guys coming behind me and we still had Lehmann, Bevan, Symonds.”

Ponting also spoke about how he asked Damien Martyn, carrying a finger injury, if he would be able to play.

“I told him ‘look me in the eye and tell me if you are right to play’ I wanted to Martyn to play in the World Cup, he is such a good player, such a good player of spin.”

On the day, Martyn remained unbeaten on 88 and along with Ponting, took the game away from India with their unbroken partnership.

Ponting took to Twitter to share photographs of the bat he used to pulverise the Indian attack.

“Given we’ve all got a bit of time on our hands as we stay at home, thought I’d go through what I’ve kept from my career and share some of it with everyone on a regular basis- this is the bat I used in the 2003 World Cup final,” Ponting’s post read.