The 2003 World Cup is synonymous with Australia’s dominant performances and the way they brushed groups apart in South Africa to succeed in the ultimate earlier than crushing India to elevate their second successive World Cup in a row. One of the important thing gamers for the Aussies was captain Ricky Ponting and his imperious kind with the bat as he completed with 415 runs behind India’s Sourav Ganguly (465) and Sachin Tendulkar (673).
Despite ending third within the checklist of high scorers, Ponting was key to Australia’s success together with Adam Gilchrist, who additionally had a very good event with the bat, scoring 408 runs from 11 matches. Ponting averaged 87.2 and slammed two centuries as effectively.
While one among them got here within the 1st Super Six recreation towards Sri Lanka (114 at SuperSport Park in Centurion), the opposite one got here within the summit conflict towards India because the Aussies gained the sport by 125 runs in Johannesburg.
In the ultimate, Ponting smashed an unbeaten 140 off 120 balls because the Indian bowlers regarded hapless and failed to choose up wickets with the Aussie skipper placing on an unbeaten 234-run stand with Damien Martyn (88*) as Australia posted a mammoth rating of 359/2 from their 50 overs.
Ponting, who got here in to bat after Adam Gilchrist departed within the 14th over for 57, began off slowly and was batting at means lower than run-a-ball however Martyn stored the scorecard ticking, thus, permitting the Australian skipper get on with it. It was not till the thirty ninth over Ponting determined to have a go at it and slammed Harbhajan Singh for 2 sixes to succeed in 62 off 77 balls and likewise convey up his half-century within the course of.
He then stepped on the accelerator and slammed the following fifty runs off simply 30 balls to convey up his thirteenth century in ODIs within the forty sixth over. His onslaught continued as he added 37 runs within the final 4 overs himself to stay not out on 140 as Australia went into the break with one hand on the trophy. His innings was laced with 4 boundaries and eight sixes.
Coming in to bat, India misplaced Sachin Tendulkar within the first over and couldn’t fairly put collectively too many partnerships regardless of Virender Sehwag’s 81-ball 82. The Men in Blue had been bowled out for 234 within the fortieth over as Australia gained the sport and event.
Ponting was additionally adjudged the Man-of-the-Match for his sensational century.
Eventually, Ponting completed as one of many best batsmen in World Cup with 5 centuries in 46 video games and scoring 1743 runs at a mean of 45.86. Punter’s first World Cup was in 1996 whereas his final was in 2011 which India gained in India. Only India’s Rohit Sharma (6) and Tendulkar (6) have extra World Cup centuries than Ponting whereas former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara additionally has 5 to his title.
Get all the most recent updates on Cricket News, Cricket Photos, Cricket Videos, IPL Auction 2022 and Cricket Scores right here