Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has picked his favorites for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2022, which will take place later this year in Australia. He feels that Australia will benefit from playing at their home, which makes them one of the favorites. The former cricketer further predicted that the hosts will beat India in the finals of the tournament.
The Indian team failed to make it to the knockouts of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 last year. They finished third on the points table in Group two. India will be keen to put behind the 2021 tournament and make a fresh start this year. On the other hand, Australia, who was in Group 1 will enter the tournament as defending champions.
Speaking on the ICC Review, Ricky Ponting expressed that Australia will beat India in the finals of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. He added that winning at their home will make the championship title better for them. The former Australian cricketer said,
“I think India and Australia will be the two playing in the final and I will just have to say that Australia will beat them in the final. The reigning champions have got home conditions and that was one thing that made Australia’s win in the last World Cup, not remarkable, but that little bit sweeter for them.”
“The fact that a lot of people, me included, thought when they went to UAE, the conditions that they were going to have to face on the back of the IPL, I thought the conditions might have been the thing that might not have allowed them to win it. But they found a way,” he added.
The Australian legend has made some big calls on the #T20WorldCup, and explained what could hold Pakistan back from ultimate success ⬇️
— ICC (@ICC) July 26, 2022
England are an outstanding white-ball team: Ricky Ponting
Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting also picked England as one of the favorites for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2022. He expressed that the three-lions are performing well in white-ball cricket. Ponting stated that Australia, India, and England look most formidable on paper for the 2022 T20 World Cup.
“I actually think England are an outstanding white-ball team and they have an outstanding white-ball setup. I just think the three teams on paper that look to have the most class and the most match-winners are India, Australia, and England,” said Ricky Ponting.
The ICC T20 World Cup 2022 begins on October 16 with the group stages, followed by the Super 12 stages from Oct 22, 2022, in Australia.