Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting spoke on Australia's chances for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup, saying that they have a "chance as good as anybody" to get their second title and highlighted the "flexibility" within the side due to the presence of so many all-rounders.
Ponting, one of the finest Australian captains of all time who led the team to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 and 2007 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 and 2009, was speaking on the latest episode of ICC Review. Australia, the 2021 edition's champions, have a very shaky record in T20 World Cups. In the last editions, losses to India and Afghanistan knocked them out in the Super Eight Stage. The six-time and current 50-over champions have not been able to replicate their generational run in Tests and ODIs in the 2000s in the T20 World Cup.
Two years later, Ponting feels that Australia do have a chance, while the conditions and talent make defending champions India a "clear favourite.
"If you look at the squad, I think they have as good a chance as anybody," Ponting said on the Australian side as quoted by the ICC.
"India probably start as the clear favourites, I think, in this event due to conditions, the talent and the group of players that they have put together. They will be hard to beat, but I really do think we will see Australia there come semi-final time," he added.
Ponting also pointed out that despite "slight transition" within the side after the retirements of David Warner (from all international cricket) and Mitchell Starc (in T20Is), Australia still has a lot of experience in their team. Even without injured pace stalwarts Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Australia has incredibly talented, wicket-taking pacers in Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis.
With conditions in India and Sri Lanka being spin-friendly, Ponting feels that the Aussies will start the Group Stage, to be played in Sri Lanka with three spin options.
"A few guys are injured at the moment or coming back from injury. That is probably the biggest concern that they have got right now. 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 is so many. Cooper Connolly. Young guy that has 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 have got three spin bowling options there," added the Australian icon.
Australia, who lost a key preparatory series to Pakistan in Pakistan by 0-3, are getting used to Asian conditions, and Ponting feels that Cameron Green, who has shown consistency in the format, could play at number three, with Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh forming a formidable opening pair.
"Josh Inglis is someone that they could bat at number if they wanted to as well," he said. "And then they have got that experience in the middle with Maxwell and Stoinis and Co. It is a very good squad," he added.
Ponting said that in ICC events, teams need their best players to perform at the right time, something he feels Australia missed in the 2024 edition in the West Indies and the USA.
"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 is what Australia probably didn't have last time around. They just did not have their big guns firing at the right time to win an event," he concluded.
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.
Australia T20 WC squad: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, Sean Abbott (travelling reserve)
