Ricky Ponting at centre of ugly fake tweet storm after World Cup final

The social media backlash after Australia’s World Cup victory has taken a nasty turn with a fake tweet throwing an icon into the fire.

Ricky Ponting has found himself at the centre of an ugly fake tweet storm in the wake of Australia’s World Cup victory over India.

The social media onslaught from fans kicked off almost immediately after the Aussies hoisted the trophy into the air on Monday morning.

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Players, family members, foreign journalists and even New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham have found themselves the target of vile social media attacks.

The backlash took an even more alarming turn when a tweet was posted with comments attributed to Ponting.

The tweet, posted by a verified account with over 2800 followers, stated the Australian icon had lashed out at the BCCI in the wake of the World Cup loss.

“Ricky Ponting on Fox Cricket: ‘This is a win of justice against cricket mafia. Your money and power is still not winning World Cups for you. How embarrassing.’ Ponting owned India and BCCI,” the post read.

The tweet has been viewed more than a million times with over 700 replies and 24,000 likes. The issue? No evidence exists at all of Ponting ever making these remarks.

In a statement provided to news.com.au, Ricky Ponting's management confirmed the tweet was fake.

“Yes the tweet is fake. We have nothing else to add,” the statement read.

Ricky Ponting on Fox Cricket:

"This is a win of justice against cricket mafia. Your money and power is still not winning World Cups for you. How embarrassing."

Ponting owned India and BCCI 😂 pic.twitter.com/pc5LnseQi7

— ASG (@ahadfoooty) November 19, 2023

Ponting did take aim at the host nation in the lead-up to the final, but only in relation to the pitch that was prepared for the decider.

Suggestions ran riot in the lead up to the final that India had reportedly manipulated the pitch to favour their spin bowling attack.

Aussie skipper Pat Cummins raised concerns over the state of the wicket and how the middle of the pitch was “rock hard” but appeared rough at both ends.

Ponting noted how the preparation of the wicket, meant to suit India, didn’t go at all according to plan.

“It was very, very sub-continental conditions today,” the former Test captain said.

“A wicket preparation that has probably ended up backfiring on India to be totally fair.”

After the Aussies captured the World Cup crown, Cummins sheepishly heaped praise on it as he spoke glowingly about the pitch.

“It was a little slower than I thought,” he said.

“It didn’t particularly spin as much as we thought either but I thought everyone adjusted well and bowled some tight lines.”

Cummins and Ponting have both copped heat over their remarks. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

The growing swell of cricket fans trying to denigrate the Aussie team centres around the claim the controversially doctored pitch decided the final.

It is the deluded hook to which Australia’s detractors are clinging to after watching the Aussies cruise to victory with 42 balls remaining.

The most staggering comment came from former Indian Test batter Sanjay Manjrekar, who somehow managed to link the infamous Cape Town ball tampering scandal to India’s defeat.

“The pitch was tacky, a bit rough on the top and likely to turn from ball one, so Australia wasn’t really taking a huge risk by going against the cliché of putting runs on the board in the big game,” he wrote for The Hindustan Times.

Punter has found himself in the centre of a fake tweet storm. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

“They knew their pacers would get some lateral movement in the afternoon, plus the sandpaper like top meant that reverse swing could come into play with Mitchell Starc as one of the best exponents of it in the world in their side; also, the slower balls were going to be a great option to go to if nothing else worked.

“If dew comes in later, batting was bound to get easier, the ball wasn’t going to turn as much, plus the slower ball as a lifesaver for the seamer when nothing works was not going to be an option.

“It was actually a ‘win-win’ scenario for the team bowling first. After that it was all about execution.”

He went on to write: “To put it simply, the 10/10 India was beaten by the conditions first”.