Ricky Ponting and Punjab Kings (PBKS) splashed out over Rs 110 crore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction, and made three of the five biggest purchases of the two-day event. Shreyas Iyer was bought for Rs 26.75 crore, while Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh each received Rs 18 cr. However, another aspect of PBKS’ auction strategy was signing as many as five Australian players in their squad, with Ponting probably having a large say in the matter. Ponting defended the decision to pick so many Australians.

Punjab Kings bought all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell, wicket-keeper batter Josh Inglis, all-rounder Aaron Hardie and pacer Xavier Bartlett in the IPL 2025 mega auction.

“I’ll probably get some criticism. I think we have got five Aussies out of our complement of eight overseas,” admitted Ponting after the auction.

“But when you look at the slots that we needed, the players that we have got fitted into those roles perfectly,” Ponting stated.

Three of the Australians – Stoinis, Maxwell and Inglis – are likely to form a major part of PBKS’ first XI as well, given their all-round and wicket-keeping abilities respectively. Stoinis was the most expensive of the lot, fetching Rs 11 crore in the auction.

“To have Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell back to Kings is huge as they have both played here in the past. A couple of new guys, including Xavier Bartlett, Aaron Hardie, and Josh Inglis, are coming into the IPL for the first time, which is also really exciting for us,” Ponting added.

Punjab Kings – back then known as Kings XI Punjab – was Stoinis’ very first IPL franchise, between 2016 and 2018. On the other hand, Maxwell will don the Punjab Kings red for a third spell in his career.

Maxwell also won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award when Punjab played the IPL final (and last qualified for the playoffs) in 2014.

Victoria’s Xavier Crone cloned two sensational run outs against Queensland at the Gabba.© X (Twitter)

Speedster Spencer Johnson took 5-26 to propel Australia to a tense 13-run victory over Pakistan in Sydney on Saturday and seal their three-match T20 series with a game to go. Set just 148 to win after Haris Rauf claimed 4-22 to keep the hosts in check, Pakistan were all out for 134 in the final over despite a lively 52 from Usman Khan. Australia won a rain-hit first match in Brisbane by 29 runs with the final game at Hobart on Monday.

“We thought we were there or thereabouts and I thought the way the bowlers went about it was brilliant,” said Australian captain Josh Inglis.

“There’s so many options in this team I can go to. Every time I turned to Johnson tonight, he got a wicket. The way they played tonight was really good.” 

Australia secured a vital breakthrough by removing Babar Azam (3) off Xavier Bartlett in the second over and Pakistan’s woes deepened when Johnson accounted for Sahibzada Farhan (5).

Runs were hard to come by and after facing 26 balls for 16, skipper Mohammad Rizwan knew he had to up the tempo.

But it cost him with Tim David taking a fine diving catch in the deep off Johnson, who then bagged Salman Agha next ball, caught behind by Inglis to leave Pakistan on 44-4 after 10 overs.

Khan played himself in and brought up his first T20 half-century.

But Johnson struck again with Abbas Afridi (4) following soon after to earn the 28-year-old a maiden five-wicket haul in his seventh T20.

Two wickets in an over by spin king Adam Zampa piled the pressure on Pakistan who were unable to rise to the challenge.

Earlier, Australia was restricted to 147-9 after a rip-roaring start, but a slew of dropped catches cost Pakistan.

“If you take the positives, the boys bowled very well. We know Australia is not an easy team,” said Rizwan.

“But if you drop crucial catches, it will cost you the game.

“We all know the pitch wasn’t easy to bat,” he added. 

Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short stitched together a highly entertaining 52-run opening stand off just 22 balls before Rauf struck twice in three deliveries.

After tempting Fraser-McGurk (20) into another slog that was taken in the deep by Agha, he enticed a leading edge from Inglis (0).

Pakistan had their tails up and Short quickly followed for 32, bowled by Afridi, with three wickets falling for four runs.

Marcus Stoinis survived two dropped catches but finally fell on 14, reverse-sweeping to Sufiyan Muqeem, who was brought into side for Haseebullah Khan.

Muqeem’s wrist-spin then took care of dangerman Glenn Maxwell (21) as the runs dried up.

David was removed by Rauf for 18 and he collected his fourth by bowling Bartlett (5). 

Aaron Hardie made a handy 28 before Afridi removed him and Johnson in successive balls in the final over.