COLOMBO – Ricky Ponting said Australia were proud of their unbeaten World Cup run, but warned the defending champions were facing their first big challenge against Pakistan on Saturday. “We are very proud of our record in World Cups, there’s no doubt about that,” said Ponting of Australia’s unbeaten 34-match streak which started after their 10-run defeat against Pakistan at Leeds in 1999. Since then Australia have won three World Cups, the last two under Ponting, who has yet to lose a match as captain. “Whether it’s World Cups or the Champions Trophy, Australian players get really excited to be part of them. I’ve been lucky over the years to play in a lot of good teams.
“But tomorrow is another good challenge for us. We don’t talk about what’s happened in the past as far as how many games we’ve won or the fact that we haven’t lost a game. “Now it’s all about making sure we are prepared for the next game and the next challenge against Pakistan who have played well so far. We are going to make sure that we start to put our print on the tournament. “We’d like to finish top of the table which means we want to win the game on Saturday. That’s what we are setting out to do, we are setting out to play our best game.” “I think we will be negligent if we try to single one (Pakistan) player out,” said Ponting. “They have got a number of match-winning players… Afridi and Umar Gul are the two guys who’ve probably been their standout players.”
PONTING HAILS AKHTAR: Ponting hailed Shoaib Akhtar, saying the Pakistani paceman was the fastest bowler he has ever faced. “Congratulations to him for being an outstanding cricketer,” Ponting said of Akhtar who on Thursday announced he will retire after the World Cup. “I had some great duels with Shoaib over the years. To this day I always said he is the fastest bowler I have faced in international cricket,” added Ponting of Akhtar who broke the 100mph barrier in 2003. Ponting said he remembered a particularly fierce spell from Akhtar at Perth in 1999. “His one spell that everyone can watch on the internet of him bowling at me at the WACA that was reasonably entertaining, more so entertaining for Justin Langer I think.
“Langer was at the other end laughing at me all the time when I was trying to keep all the deliveries of Shoaib out.
He was express pace, a very, very good bowler.” Ponting lamented the fact Akhtar suffered many injuries during his career. “I guess over the years he’s just faced a number of injuries which did not allow him to play as much as he would have liked.”
