Ponting analyses Australia's chances at T20 World Cup
ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting believes Australia’s all-rounders give them the edge at the marquee tournament.
Ricky Ponting knows a thing or two about winning World Cups.
The former Australia captain, who led his team to triumphs at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2003 and 2007, has backed Australia to make the semi-finals or better at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, beginning February 7.
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At the previous edition, held in the USA and West Indies in 2024, Australia bowed out at the Super Eights stage after a surprise defeat to Afghanistan and a 24-run loss against India.
Two years on, Australia will be keen to make amends and challenge for the title yet again and Ponting believes they are well placed to do so.
“If you look at the squad, I think they have as good a chance as anybody,” Ponting told host Sanjana Ganesan on the latest edition of The ICC Review.
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“India probably start the clear favourites I think in this event due to conditions, the talent and the group of players that they have put together. They'll be hard to beat but I really do think we will see Australia there come semi-final time.
“There has been a slight transition around the Australian team. It's not a dramatic one. If you look at the squad that they've named, there's a lot of experience in that squad still. A few guys are injured at the moment or coming back from injury. That's probably the biggest concern that they've got right now.”
While Australia have retained the core of the side that competed at the 2024 T20 World Cup, the biggest name missing from the line-up is pace spearhead Pat Cummins.
The Australian fast bowler hasn’t completely recovered from a lingering back injury and was left out of the final 15-player squad and replaced by left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis.
The Australian team, however, is stacked with experience and match-winning talent and Ponting believes that it’s the all-rounders that will give the Aussies the edge in the upcoming edition.
“The one thing they have got in that squad is really good flexibility with so many all-rounders,” he said.
“You look at (Marcus) Stoinis, (Glenn) Maxwell, Cameron Green, there's so many. Cooper Connolly. Young guy that's just won the MVP again in the BBL (Big Bash League) for the second year in row. If it looks like it will turn, I think Australia will go with Connolly to back up Maxwell and (Adam) Zampa. So, they've got three spin bowling options there.”
Australia are acclimatising to the South Asian conditions with a T20I series in Pakistan. In the first two matches, Australia brought in Cameron Green at No.3, and Ponting believes the all-rounder will occupy the crucial batting position at the T20 World Cup as Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh continue their partnership at the top of the batting order.
“(Josh) Inglis is someone that they could bat at No.3 if they wanted to as well,” he said. “And then they've got that experience in the middle with Maxwell and Stoinis and Co. It's a very good squad."
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“But the thing I know about these ICC events is, one, they're hard to win, because all the best teams in the world are playing in them and if you want to win it, you have to have all your good players playing well at the right time. That's what Australia probably didn't have last time around. They just didn't have their big guns firing at the right time to win an event.”
Australia open their campaign on February 11 with a match against Ireland. They have been drawn in Group B with Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.