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Ricky Ponting's Ton Lit Up Tsunami Relief Match As ICC World XI Crushed Asia XI In 2005

Jatin

Ricky Ponting led from the front [Source: @cricket.com.au]Ricky Ponting led from the front [Source: @cricket.com.au]

The World Cricket Tsunami Appeal was the ICC’s way of gathering support after the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami on December 26, 2004. Initially planned as a two-match ODI series between a World XI and Asia XI, it was trimmed to just one game due to scheduling clashes and concerns over Kolkata’s April heat.

That one match played on January 10, 2005 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground brought together stars from cricketing nations impacted by the tragedy, including India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

But what started as a charity game turned into a Ricky Ponting special. The Aussie skipper smashed 115 off 102 and powered ICC World XI to 344/8. In the end, the ICC World XI wrapped things up with a thumping 112-run win, but this match was all about fireworks, flair and a whole lot of big-match flavour.

Here’s a throwback to the Tsunami Relief Match from 2005.

Ponting Turns Back The Clock

Forget the cause, the crowd, the chaos because Ricky Ponting was in the zone. From the moment he walked in, he looked like a man on a mission. Crisp drives, cheeky flicks, and those signature pull shots, everything was on display. He brought up his hundred in 98 balls and didn’t take the foot off the pedal after that either.

He scored 115 off 102 balls with 8 fours and 3 sixes. It was the kind of knock that reminds you why he was one of the most feared batters in world cricket. And the cherry on top? He did it while captaining a team filled with legends.

Cairns Goes Ballistic, Lara Goes Old-School

Chris Cairns came out swinging literally. The Kiwi all-rounder smashed 69 off just 47 balls, including six boundaries and two massive sixes. If Ponting built the house, Cairns added the rooftop fireworks.

On the other hand, Brian Lara played a more measured hand with 52 off 77, showing that even in a team of hitters, there was still room for some good old-fashioned elegance as the World XI posted 344/8.

Asia XI Collapse Despite Dravid’s Resistance

Chasing 345 is no walk in the park and Asia XI found that out the hard way. Sehwag (45) and Jayasuriya (28) gave it a bit of early push but once Shane Warne and Daniel Vettori got into the act, it all went downhill.

Rahul Dravid stood firm with an unbeaten 75 off 71 but he was pretty much a one-man army. No one else stuck around long enough to build anything meaningful. Asia XI were bowled out for 232 in just under 40 overs as they faced a massive 112-run defeat.

Shane Warne (2/27) and Vettori (3/58) showed once again why spinners are always in the game, no matter the pitch. Warne bamboozled Sehwag and Mohammad Yousuf, while Vettori cleaned up the middle and lower order like he was ticking names off a list. Even Darren Gough and Glenn McGrath chipped in and made sure Asia XI never had a chance to recover.

A Match For A Cause, Remembered For The Cricket

Sure, this match was played for a noble reason to raise funds for Tsunami victims and it served that purpose beautifully. But it also turned into a night of world-class cricket, where legends of the game came together and Ricky Ponting stole the show. 70,000+ fans packed into the MCG and they didn’t just witness a charity match, they saw a carnival.