Ponting ne ki Black Caps ki taarif, bola ‘ICC title jeetna bas time ki baat hai’
Australia ke legend Ricky Ponting ka manna hai ki New Zealand ne ICC Champions Trophy mein kamaal ka khel dikhaya. Unka kehna hai ki runner-up finish par New Zealand ko proud hona chahiye. Ponting ne yeh bhi kaha ki Kiwis ke liye ICC title jeetna bas time ki baat hai.
New Zealand ka yeh saatvaan ICC final tha, aur 2021 T20 World Cup ke baad pehla, jismein Kiwis Australia se haar gaye the. Saat finals mein se New Zealand ne do jeete hain; 2000 mein ICC Knockout aur 2021 mein World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The ICC Review mein Ponting ne kaha, “Mujhe nahi lagta ki New Zealand ka campaign kahin bhi galat hua. Unhone ek aur shaandar tournament khela. Woh shuru se lekar aakhir tak brilliant rahe.”
“Tournament ke shuru mein mujhse poocha gaya tha ki final four mein kaunsi teams hongi, aur jab bhi ICC events ki baat hoti hai, toh New Zealand ka naam toh lena hi padta hai kyunki woh hamesha top four mein rehte hain.”
“Iss baar maine unhe nahi chuna tha kyunki mujhe laga tha Pakistan apne ghar mein khelte hue final four mein jayega, aur South Africa bhi. Toh maine New Zealand ko nahi chuna tha, lekin woh phir se final four mein pahunch gaye.”
Ponting ne New Zealand ki South Africa par semifinal mein 50 runs se jeet ki bhi taarif ki, jismein Kiwis ne Lahore ke Gaddafi Stadium mein 362/5 ka score banaya tha. “South Africa ke khilaf semifinal mein unhone kamaal ka khel dikhaya. One-day cricket mein isse behtar khel shayad hi koi khel sakta hai. Pehle batting karke 360+ runs banana, Champions Trophy ke kisi bhi match ka sabse bada score hai,” unhone kaha.
Ponting ne Matt Henry ki bhi taarif ki, jo injury ke chalte final mein nahi khel paye, lekin tournament ke leading wicket-taker rahe.
“Final mein unka samna ek bahut hi achi team se hua, aur woh haar se zyada door nahi the. India ne 49th ya 50th over mein match jeeta. Unhone kuch zyada galat nahi kiya,” Ponting ne kaha.
“Aur yeh sab unke kuch star players ke final mein achha perform nahi karne ke bawajood hua. Aur Matt Henry, jo tournament ke leading wicket-taker the, woh bhi final mein nahi khel paye. Toh unka campaign bahut achha raha. Agar woh aise hi khelte rahe, toh ICC tournament jeetna bas time ki baat hai,” unhone aakhir mein kaha.
