Ex-India Star Tiwary Slams Ponting’s ‘Foreigner’ Bias, Says Punjab Kings Won’t Win IPL

Tiwary’s Harsh Criticism of Ponting

Former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary has come down hard on Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting, accusing him of favoring foreign players over Indian talent. Tiwary believes this bias cost Punjab Kings a win in their recent match against Kolkata Knight Riders, and ultimately, will prevent them from winning the IPL 2025 title.

During the match, Punjab Kings opted to send Glenn Maxwell at No. 4 and Marco Jansen at No. 5 after a strong start by Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh. This move meant that Indian batsmen Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh didn’t get a chance to bat. Tiwary took to social media to express his disappointment, stating that Ponting’s lack of faith in Indian players will hold Punjab back.

My gut feeling says that punjab team will not be able to win the #IPL trophy this season because what I saw today when they were batting was, the coach didn’t send Indian inform batters Nehal wadera and Shasank singh, instead he trusted his foreign players to deliver, but they cudnt and clearly showed lack of confidence in Indian players down the order. If he persist in this way then the title is far from them irrespective of there qualification in top two. #KKRvsPBKS

Tiwary’s strong words suggest a growing tension between the coach and the team’s Indian players.

Rain Ends KKR vs Punjab Kings Match

Adding to the drama, the match itself was called off due to heavy rain. After Punjab Kings posted 201 for 4, Kolkata Knight Riders were seven for no loss in one over when the storm hit. The relentless downpour prevented any further play, and the teams had to settle for a shared point each.

The result had little impact on the overall standings, with KKR remaining in seventh place and Punjab Kings staying in the top half of the table.