In one of the most dramatic comebacks in IPL history, Punjab Kings (PBKS) stunned defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) with a 16-run victory in Mullanpur, defending a mere 111—the lowest total ever successfully defended in the league. The win left head coach Ricky Ponting in awe, especially after the team’s recent criticism for failing to defend 245 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. PBKS, after opting to bat first, had a strong start with Prabhsimran Singh (30) and Priyansh Arya (22) adding 39 runs early, but a double-wicket over by Harshit Rana quickly halted their momentum.

From there, wickets tumbled as Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine tightened the screws, eventually bundling PBKS out for 111. During KKR’s chase, they appeared in control at 62 for 2, but an unexpected collapse followed, with the team losing eight wickets for just 33 runs. Yuzvendra Chahal turned the tide with a match-winning spell of 4 for 28, dismantling the middle order, while Marco Jansen delivered a crucial 3 for 17, including the prized scalp of Andre Russell. The stunning fightback showcased PBKS’s resilience and marked one of the greatest defensive efforts in the tournament’s history.

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"Just about the best win that I've ever had and a season-defining moment. The heart rate still up a bit for me - it's probably up over 200. I don't need many of those games like that at my age of over 50 now. It just goes to show how funny a game it is. Only three days ago, we couldn't defend 246 [245] and here we are, defending 112 [111] with 16 runs up our sleeves. We actually said to the guys at the halfway mark that really small chases like this are sometimes the hardest. The wicket wasn't easy. You can see right through the game it was holding up," Ponting told the broadcaster in the post-match

Best win I ever had: Ricky Ponting

Ponting, who witnessed from the sidelines as PBKS defended the lowest total in IPL history, 111 runs ,to secure a stunning 16-run win, remarked that it was the best victory in his IPL coaching career since 2014. He reflected that such wins are always the sweetest and added that if they could pull off a result like that, it would rank among the finest victories most players had ever experienced. Having coached many IPL matches, Ponting felt this might just be the most memorable win he had been a part of.

"But we just said that wins like this are always the sweetest ones. If we can pull this off, then this would be as good a win as most guys have probably been involved in. I've coached a lot of games in the IPL and that might just be about the best win that I've ever had,” Ponting concluded.

Indian cricket legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been admired a lot by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting. He said that Rohit is fully dedicated to playing One Day Internationals (ODIs) and does not want to retire from the format. Ponting complimented Rohit's batting and captaincy and called him a key player for India.

Speaking of Virat Kohli, Ponting said the Indian batsman is the best white-ball cricketer he has ever watched. That's a big compliment, considering Ponting played with and against some cricket legends. Kohli's ODI and T20 numbers, particularly his ability to chase and his consistency, have made him one of the most admired cricketers in the world.

Ponting made it very obvious that he would never lose faith or hope in either Kohli or Rohit. He thinks they have a lot of cricket still left in them and can play at the very best at an older age as well. Regardless of youngsters replacing them, Ponting thinks experience and class speak for themselves, making these two players unique.

Ricky Ponting said "Rohit has made it clear he’s going nowhere in the 50-over game - Virat is the best white-ball player I have ever seen. I will never write those guys off". [Express Sports] pic.twitter.com/TEBw6P33UM

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 7, 2025

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Belief in Experience Over Age
Ricky Ponting's lines reflect how dear experience means to him in cricket. Despite the fact that Rohit and Virat are becoming older, Ricky is sure they can still win India games. He believes they should not judge them for several poor games since great players find a way back every time.

With the major tournaments scheduled soon, India will rely on their veteran stars to take the team forward. Encouragement by legends like Ponting is a clear indication that Rohit and Virat continue to command international respect and can make a huge difference whenever they step out onto the field.

During the match, when N. Wadhera hit a flat six off R. Bishnoi, the ball was flying towards the boundary. To everyone’s shock, a ball boy near the boundary taken a perfect caught, displaying superb calmness and reflexes to the rest of the spectators. The entire stadium roared in astonishment as even the players appreciated the effort put in.

There was a mix of emotions in the crowd, but perhaps one of the best came from PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting, a renowned fielder himself. He was seen being excited, clapping his hands with a smile, which added to the moment. Almost instantly, the video went viral, with fans showcasing their love and adoration for the young boy's skill.

A PERFECT CATCH BY THE BALL BOY. 😄

- Ricky Ponting approves it. ✅pic.twitter.com/FMgeQxzIWF

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 1, 2025

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This incredible catch definitely added flavour to an already exciting game and proved to the fans that cricket is not only a game; it is a way of life. This is what the IPL aims to portray: love, excitement and hidden wonders among the young fans of cricket.

There are speeches in cricket that are recalled for a lifetime. Ricky Ponting, arguably the greatest captain ever and current coach of Punjab Kings (PBKS), made a motivational speech after his team's stunning victory in IPL 2025. His speech was not about winning a game—it was about passion, unity, and never giving up.

A Season of Resolve and Perseverance
Ponting began by outlining his players' experience during the tournament. He talked about the way they worked against them, about what they had sacrificed, and the efforts that they undertook game after game. He appreciated the contribution each player made to make the team successful at batting, bowling, or even fielding.

"We win together, we lose together, and today, we celebrate together. This is what makes a champion team."

"People doubted us. They said we couldn’t do it. But we showed them what true champions are made of!"

Ricky Ponting’s Winning Speech: A Moment of Inspiration

THE WINNING SPEECH OF COACH RICKY PONTING. 🔥pic.twitter.com/rT761eg9A1

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 26, 2025

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Ricky Ponting Performs Puja with Punjab Kings Ahead of IPL 2025

Australian cricketing great and Punjab Kings (PBKS) team coach Ricky Ponting was caught off guard while taking part in a classical puja ritual at the eve of the IPL 2025 tournament. The puja ritual was performed at the new Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium as a move to obtain God's blessings to support the success of the team during the impending competition.

A Novel Experience for Punjab Kings
Ponting, one of the most successful captains in the history of cricket, came aboard PBKS as their coach for the IPL 2025 season from coaching the Delhi Capitals for seven seasons. As a part of the team's preps, PBKS management arranged a puja, the usual convention back home, to ensure good luck. The image of Ponting, a foreign coach, respectfully doing the ritual in a puja saw attention from fans and the cricket fraternity.

Ricky Ponting doing Puja. #PunjabKings @RickyPonting @IPL @PunjabKingsIPL pic.twitter.com/ifKe2u823H

— Vijay Tagore (@vijaymirror) March 20, 2025

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Punjab Kings' New Beginnings
Punjab Kings have undergone huge changes for the new season. In addition to appointing Ponting as head coach, the franchise also made Shreyas Iyer its captain. Iyer was acquired for ₹26.75 crores in the IPL 2025 mega auction and is one of the costliest players this season. The team is seeking to reverse its previous performances and hopes to make a big splash in the league.

Shreyas Iyer the current Punjab Kings captain has once again reunited with his former coach Ricky Ponting where earlier they worked within Delhi Capitals. Shreyas and Ricky always shared a different bond as they knew each other firmly so it would be no big task for Iyer to get accommodated in the team. Iyer has always been backed by Ponting for his batting skills and the vision he possesses for the game. 

Shreyas Iyer was bought by Punjab Kings for 26.5 crores in the latest auction which happened in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Former Kolkata player and skipper decided to leave the team due to credibility issues which resulted in winning the title for the third time for the kkr franchise which was mentored by Gautam Gambhir. Even Iyer too was not open about it which was later declared by the source. 

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Iyer struggled and came back in fashion.

Shreyas Iyer had a great World Cup season in 2023 he was the backbone of the middle order and he scored ample runs though missed in the final. After the final things started turning for him where to a lack of communication from him BCCI sacked him from his central contract after that series of things cultivated against still chose to remain silent, later he took part in SMAT and the Ranji Trophy won all of them and with KKR he won the title for them too. 

It was enough that he was added to Champions Trophy squad still it was at stake whether Iyer would play or not but he was included and he played a huge role in the Champions Trophy victory he was the second-highest run scorer of the tournament scoring 234 runs just short by Rachin Ravindra who scored 263 runs. After that there was no stopping for him, he though admitted that he didn't want to utter any speculation and let his bat speak. 

Ponting and Iyer on Punjab Kings Growth

Shreyas Iyer joined the Punjab Kings camp after the champion's trophy victory yesterday they had the press meet, where coach Ricky Ponting's team captain Shreyas Iyer and CEO, Sathish Menon were present that coach Ricky Ponting hailed his captain stating he's a great human being. He is an IPL-winning captain. We could not have asked for more. He has only joined the camp a couple of days ago so he is starting to make his mark on the team as a captain and as a leader and that will evolve over the next few days before we get into our first game. But as I said, I could not have been happier.

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We have a good mix of youth and experienced players. We have high-quality Indian players and some high-quality overseas players as well, the boys have trained well in, their training sessions.  Iyer too was excited to work with Ricky Ponting once again When I worked with him for the first time in the past, he made me feel like I am a great player and I can easily excel in this format. The confidence he gives a player is of a different level, The goal is to win the trophy, that's our mindset right now and it's a step-by-step process, it's not like you wake up in the morning and do it but the way we're practising right now and the way we're sharing our wavelength and camaraderie.  These were the words of Iyer who wanted to motivate his team. Punjab will be facing GT in Ahmedabad on 25 March, Rest two games will be their home games. 

Legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting set a great example to dominate the cricket world in the early 21st century. Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma has produced similar success stories in the recent ICC tournaments. Here, we are going through the key stats differences between the captain Ricky Ponting and Rohit Sharma. 

Australia under Ricky Ponting's leadership

Under the leadership of Australian captain Ricky Ponting, Aussies won four ICC trophies. While they won the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 and ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, both as the unbeaten sides, they won the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 and ICC Champions Trophy 2009. The cricket fans can't forget skipper Ricky Ponting's one of the greatest batting performances during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 Final against India, where he won the Player of the Match award for his powerful batting performance of 140 not out.

See Also: Kohli Talks About India's Success in the 2025 Champions Trophy

Rohit Sharma-led India

Meanwhile, after finishing as the runners-up in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 by losing the Final against Australia, which was the only defeat for Rohit Sharma-led India in that entire tournament, they won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 and ICC Champions Trophy 2025, both as the unbeaten sides. Rohit Sharma-led India have recorded 23 wins in their last 24 fixtures in the ICC tournaments, which is just incredible for any team. 

Just like the legendary Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting, the Indian captain Rohit Sharma has played an integral role with the bat for his team. While captain Ponting was always a key name for Australia in the ICC tournaments, skipper Rohit has proved it in recent ICC tournaments. While Indian captain Rohit batted powerfully consistently in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 and ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, he won the Player of the Match award in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final against New Zealand. 

Ricky Ponting vs Rohit Sharma in ICC events as captain 

As a batter

Rohit Sharma has received tremendous recognition from Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain, for his exceptional captaincy skills as well as for flourishing in the ICC tournament. Having watched Rohit in the Mumbai Indians setup as a player and later as a coach, Ponting is sure that Rohit has set his sights on the ODI World Cup.  

While praising Sharma, Ponting also recognized Sharma's past challenges with ICC events. “I was lucky enough to work with Rohit Sharma at Mumbai Indians as a player as well as a coach. He was missing those ICC events only, and now he has ticked that box as well,” Ponting said. This statement follows Sharma’s remarkable achievement in winning a significant ICC tournament and gaining the appreciation of those who doubted his abilities to perform on the biggest stage.  

Ponting asserts with a lot of confidence that Sharma's next primary target will be the ODI World Cup. “I believe he will be eyeing that ODI World Cup,” he added, having full faith that the Indian captain will claim the ODI Worldcup to his ever-growing list of achievements.

Ricky pointing greater than Sachin as a player and captain he said it . Insecure sachin tendulkar didn't praising him now and also 2024 T20 won also . 🙏🏻🙏🏻🫡 https://t.co/pcqbvzMjZV

— 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚗 ᥫ᭡ (@Charan07_) March 13, 2025

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Under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, India clinched the ODI World Cup title in 2011, and has remained unsuccessful in their attempts to win the title again since then. With the next ODI World Cup coming up, it will be Rohit's experience, leadership, and aggression in the top order that would help India try to get the glory once again.  

Rohit is calm, yet possesses the command of a leader, which is what allowed him to bag multiple IPL titles with the Mumbai Indians. This makes Rohit one of the greatest captains in cricket history with India's built in talent. With an ICC title under him, it will be interesting to see if he helps India flourish in the other formats of the game.  

Confidence in Rohit Sharma by Ricky Ponting goes to show how popular the captain has become lately with respect to his performances in the world stage. Now with India preparing for the next ODI World Cup, the question is, will Rohit make Ponting's words come true? If anything is clear, Rohit Sharma is the player that history shows performs his best under pressure, and taking a guess, the ODI World Cup may be his next jewel.

Ricky Ponting Backs Rohit Sharma: "His Time is Not Up Yet"

Former Australia cricket captain Ricky Ponting has come out in defence of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma, claiming that his career is nowhere near over. Ponting said this when he was commenting on Rohit's recent performance in the Champions Trophy final. Rohit's batting performance in the final, as according to Ponting, shows that the Indian cricketer is still a key player for India.

Rohit Sharma's Performance
Rohit Sharma has been a central figure in the Indian cricket team for many years. He is best known for his capability of scoring big scores in important games. During the final of the Champions Trophy, Rohit was instrumental in assisting India to take a strong position. His pressure-handling skills and performance in high-stakes matches make him a valuable asset to the team.

Ponting’s Statement

Ponting stated, "I mean when you see Rohit Sharma play like he played in the Champions Trophy final, you wouldn't say that his time is up just yet." This means that Rohit still has the skill, experience, and match-winning ability to contribute to Indian cricket.

Should India Seek a Replacement?
Although India has plenty of talented young cricketers, replacing Rohit Sharma is not a task easy to accomplish. No one else can match his capability of anchoring an innings, playing forceful shots, and mentoring youngsters. Until the day he shows a dip in form, India will not forget him.

Success in international cricket is measured by titles, performances under pressure and match winning performances. One major metric to gauge a player’s impact is the number of wins he has been part of in ICC white ball events (ODIs and T20Is). A recent list has the top cricketers with the most wins in ICC events and it’s no surprise that modern day greats like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma top the list.

With 72 wins in 90 matches, Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli has been part of the most number of wins in ICC white ball tournaments. His ability to perform on the biggest stage, whether in World Cups, Champions Trophy or T20 World Cups, makes him one of the most important cricketers of his era. Kohli’s match winning performances, especially in high pressure games have been the reason for India’s success over the years.

India’s current captain Rohit Sharma is just behind Kohli with 70 wins in 90 matches. He is known for his effortless stroke play and ability to rise in big tournaments, Rohit has been a key player in India’s wins in ICC events.He has centuries in World Cups and has led, so he’s one of the all time greats.

The list also features some of the most decorated cricketers in history.

• Mahela Jayawardene (Sri lanka) - 57 wins in 93 matches
• Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) - 56 wins in 90 matches
• Ravindra Jadeja (India) - 52 wins in 70 matches
• Ricky Ponting (Australia) - 52 wins 70 matches
• MS Dhoni (India) - 52 wins in 78 matches                                                                                                                                                                                         

Sri Lankan greats Jayawardene and Sangakkara were the main men in their team’s success in the 2000s and early 2010s, taking Sri Lanka to multiple ICC finals, including a T20 World Cup win in 2014.

Part of Most wins in ICC Events (White Ball)

72 - Virat Kohli (90 Matches)
70 - Rohit Sharma (90 Matches)
57 - Mahela Jayawardene (93 Matches)
56 - Kumar Sangakkara (90 Matches)
52 - Ravindra Jadeja (66 Matches)
52 - Ricky Ponting (70 Matches)
52 - MS Dhoni (78 Matches)… pic.twitter.com/Ewz1f7K7s2

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) March 10, 2025

Also Read: Cricketers Who Made Stunning Comebacks Thanks to IPL

MS Dhoni, the Indian captain, is also on this list with 52 wins in 78 matches. He led India to win the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy, so he’s one of the most successful captains in ICC history.

It is a mark of the players' consistent performances and their ability to perform in the clutch in ICC white ball events that the list is as it stands today. This has written a new chapter in the history of cricket with Kohli and Rohit leading India as captain, while legends of the game like Dhoni, Ponting and Jayawardene have come to the crease and left their mark. As the next ICC tournaments approach, fans will be waiting to see who rises to the top and adds to their legacy.