Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) match against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Dharamsala was called off on Thursday, May 8, midway through the first innings. This decision was taken to ensure the safety of the players, broadcast crew, and spectators amid the cross-border tension between India and Pakistan.
Subsequently, the IPL 2025 (Indian Premier League) was suspended for a week. Many overseas players and coaches returned home following this announcement. According to a report, PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting and all the overseas stars in the Shreyas Iyer-led squad had boarded a flight to head back home.
However, after India and Pakistan signed a ceasefire agreement, Ponting got off the plane and even convinced the other foreign players to stay back in India. Australian players like Xavier Bartlett and Aaron Hardie were anxious, but a pep talk from Ponting calmed them down. PBKS CEO Satish Menon was left in awe of the former Aussie captain’s character.
“It shows Ponting‘s character. Only he could have pulled that off,” Menon was quoted as saying by India Today.
Furthermore, a source close to the PBKS team revealed that all the Australian players were eager to fly back home, but Ponting stunningly managed to change their minds at the very last moment.
“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 stay back post-ceasefire, which I think is remarkable,” a PBKS team source was quoted as saying to the aforementioned news portal.
Ricky Ponting heaps huge praise for Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy
Punjab eye playoffs berth after a decade
Notably, Punjab Kings are on the brink of qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2014. A win against Delhi earlier this week would have helped PBKS become the first team to reach the playoffs in the 18th edition of the IPL. Shreyas has led the team from the front, and the emergence of youngsters like Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh has been a treat to watch.
