Ricky Ponting reveals keeping his 2003 World Cup final bat as souvenir

Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting on Monday revealed that all these years, he has kept the bat he used in 2003 World Cup final against India as a souvenir.

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting on Monday revealed that all these years, he has kept the bat he used in 2003 World Cup final against India as a souvenir. His revelation comes as it was on this day 17-years ago that Australia went on to lift its second successive World Cup.

In the finals of the tournament, Ponting had played an unbeaten knock of 140 runs from just 121 balls. "Given we've all got a bit of time on our hands as we stay at home, thought I'd go through what I've kept from my career and share some of it with everyone on a regular basis - this is the bat I used in the 2003 World Cup final," Ponting tweeted.

In the finals against India, Australia was sent in to bat first. Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden provided a quickfire start to Australia as the duo put on 105 runs for the first wicket. It was then Ponting and Damien Martyn who took the Indian attack to the cleaners and both batsmen took Australia's score to 359/2 in the allotted fifty overs.

India lost its star batter Sachin Tendulkar in the opening over and there was no way back for the Men in Blue. The Men in Blue capitulated for just 234, losing the match by 125 runs.

Australia has won the 50-over World Cup five times (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015). Ponting scored 27,486 runs for Australia in his international career and also led his country in all three formats.

No Australian has scored more international centuries than the former skipper. Ponting also led Australia to two World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007. He played his last Test in 2012. (ANI)

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