Ricky Ponting, the old Aussie captain, is totally blown away by Virat Kohli’s knack for stepping up when it matters most, especially after his unbeaten hundred against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy that handed India a six-wicket win. Ponting told the ICC, “I’ve always said big games call for big names. You need your top guys to stand tall in those huge moments, and for India, there’s no bigger match than facing Pakistan.” Kohli smashed an unbeaten century in that game, not just sealing the win for India but also hitting some pretty cool personal milestones along the way.
Kohli kept his cool and scored an unbeaten 100 off 111 balls, marking his 51st ODI hundred—more than anyone else in this format. At 36, he also crossed 14,000 runs, joining legends Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara as only the third guy to do it. Ponting said to the ICC, “I’ve always believed big matches are where big names shine. You need your star players to rise on those big occasions, and for India, nothing beats playing Pakistan.” He added, “Your reputation gets built on how you perform in the biggest competitions out there. So, it’s no shock to me that this happened. That unbeaten 100 off 111 balls shows his character and how he handles the tough stuff.”
This isn’t the first time Kohli’s magic has pulled India past Pakistan. Back in the 2022 T20 World Cup at the MCG, chasing 160, he stepped up big time with 82 off 53 balls to get India over the line in Melbourne. Ponting pointed out how similar that knock was to this latest one in Dubai, both getting India the win against the same rival. The ICC Hall of Famer said, “Yeah, like you’re saying, 2022 and now—he stood up against the team he probably gears himself up for the most. And there’s no bigger moment than last night when Pakistan batted first on a tricky pitch. You needed someone up top to play a match-winning knock, and once again, Kohli got it done.”
Pakistan chose to bat first and put up 241 in 49.4 overs—a score that looked decent but ended up falling short against India’s batting. A bunch of their batsmen got starts but couldn’t turn them into big scores, something Ponting called out as a major slip-up. He said, “I’ve always said this—in any format, fifties or half-centuries don’t win you or your team anything. You need big runs. And they didn’t have those big individual scores or even big partnerships.” Chasing 242, India lost a couple of early wickets, but Kohli stayed calm and steady. He teamed up with Shreyas Iyer (56) for a key partnership, mixing smart shots with just the right amount of aggression to carry India home.
Ponting’s Big Praise
Ricky Ponting couldn’t hold back on praising Kohli’s cool-headed century against Pakistan. He’s calling it a masterclass that proves why big players matter in big games.
Kohli’s Milestone Moment
That unbeaten 100 wasn’t just about the win—it was Kohli’s 51st ODI ton and pushed him past 14,000 runs. Only Tendulkar and Sangakkara have been there before him.
Same Old Magic
Ponting sees a pattern—Kohli’s 2022 MCG heroics and now this Dubai knock, both against Pakistan, showing he thrives when the stakes are sky-high.
Pakistan’s Slip-Up
Pakistan got to 241, but Ponting says their batsmen didn’t cash in on starts. No big scores or partnerships meant India had the upper hand chasing.
