New Delhi, May 11 – As tensions between India and Pakistan escalated earlier this week, Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting made a remarkable call that could prove crucial for the team's morale and playoff push in IPL 2025. With the ceasefire coming into effect just as Ponting was about to board a Qantas flight home to Australia, the former cricketer chose to disembark at the last moment, opting to stay back in India and stand by his team.
Despite the uncertainty and anxiety among foreign players about a potential full-scale conflict, Ponting’s decision to remain in Delhi provided much-needed reassurance to the franchise and its players. His luggage had to be urgently offloaded from the plane, requiring several calls amid tightened security at the Delhi Airport.
“It shows Ponting's character. Only he could have pulled that off,” said Punjab Kings CEO Satish Menon. “He gave a motivational talk to the foreign players who had left for their respective destinations but will now be rejoining the team at the earliest.”
The unease among the players stemmed from their recent nerve-racking road and rail journey from Dharamsala to Delhi after the May 8 IPL match was abandoned due to rising tensions. Among those affected were Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, and Xavier Bartlett from Australia. Meanwhile, South Africa’s Marco Jansen and Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai had taken temporary refuge in Dubai, awaiting clarity.
“The foreign players aren’t used to such a situation, so the anxiety was understandable,” a team source explained. “Led by Stoinis, they wanted to leave. But Ponting convinced them to come back post-ceasefire, which is remarkable.”
With the IPL resumption announcement expected soon, Punjab Kings are in a strong position. Most of their key Indian and overseas players are back in the country and on standby. The leadership of Ricky Ponting, alongside captain Shreyas Iyer, appears to be driving the team into uncharted territory, as they inch closer to a play-off berth for the first time since 2014.
Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals, who were also in Dharamsala, await the resumption of their match against Punjab, which had reached 122 for 1 in 10.1 overs before being halted. A new venue and date are expected to be announced soon.
Ponting’s resolute stand and motivational leadership may very well become the turning point in Punjab Kings’ quest for IPL glory.
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