Ricky Ponting deboarded flight home, convinced PBKS' foreign players to prepare for reminder of IPL 2025

Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting was about to return to Australia when the ceasefire between India and Pakistan came into force. He deboarded a plane and gave a much-needed pep talk to the foreign stars of PBKS, a report said.

 

Ponting not only stayed back in Delhi but also ensured that his team's foreign players were convinced about returning to India with IPL 2025 likely to resume later in the week. 

 

Many overseas players were uncomfortable returning to India with the shadow of war lurking over two nuclear-armed countries that also happen to be cricketing powers. However, Australia's World Cup winning captain was able to convince his team's players to get their head right ahead of the tournament's return.  The anxious batch of players, who had to make a nervous road/train journey from Dharamsala to Delhi following the abandonment of the IPL game on May 8, included Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis and Xavier Bartlett -- all  Australians.

 

"It shows Ponting's character. Only he could have pulled that off. Not only he voluntarily decided to stay back, he gave a motivational talk to the foreign players who had left for their respective destinations but now will be joining the team at the earliest," Punjab Kings CEO Satish Menon told PTI.

 

 

 

South Africa's Marco Jansen and Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai have camped themselves in Dubai which is a short flight from India.

 

"The foreign players are not used to something like this (war like situation). So, it was natural for them to feel anxious. Led by Stoinis, they all wanted to leave at the earliest and understandably so. But Ponting has convinced them to come back post ceasefire which I think is remarkable," said a source in the team.

 

With the announcement of IPL resumption imminent, Punjab find themselves well-placed with majority of their star Indian and foreign players already in the country and on standby.

 

 

 

In the first season of Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting era, Punjab stand on the cusp of its first play-off berth since 2014.

 

The other stranded team in Dharamsala was Delhi Capitals after the game was abandoned after Punjab Kings raced to 122 for 1 in 10.1 overs. The match will resume from that position at a yet to be decided venue and date.

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