Ponting reveals the jewel in the crown of Aaron Finch's international career

Finch announced his retirement from T20I cricket earlier this month, with the 36-year-old having called it quits at ODI level just prior to the Men's T20 World Cup in Australia last year.

It means Finch finishes with an impressive total of 19 centuries at international level (17 in ODI cricket and two T20I tons) and with the record for the highest individual score in a men's or women’s T20I following his 172 against Zimbabwe in 2018.

Finch also joined Ponting in a rare group of Australian captains to have led their country to glory at a men’s World Cup, with Finch leading the way as skipper when the Aussies tasted success in Dubai in 2021.

And Ponting has no doubt this triumph was the highlight of Finch's 12-year international career.

"The jewel in his crown probably was the T20 World Cup win in the UAE as not a lot of people thought that Australia could win that tournament," Ponting told The ICC Review.

"The conditions, everyone thought were going to be against them, obviously finishing off the IPL and then playing on some tired wickets.

"Most people thought that those conditions would suit the sub-continental teams.

"But Australia got a little bit lucky in their last few games. They were able to win the tosses and got to chase runs when the dew was sort of coming in on the grounds, which made it a little bit easier for them.

"But it was still an awesome win, and a World Cup title next to Aaron Finch's name, which I think, because of his longevity and his success as a player, he deserved that."

While Finch managed just 135 runs from seven innings at that T20 World Cup and was often overshadowed with the bat by teammates David Warner (289 runs) and Mitch Marsh (185), Ponting said his influence on the team was far greater than that.

"Any big tournament that you go into...I think your experienced players and your leaders are more often than not, the difference between winning and losing," Ponting noted.

"His influence and the fact that his experience and the steadiness that he provided around that group as far as leadership was concerned was vital to the success that that team had."