Ricky Ponting picks T20 World Cup 2022 finalist and winner
Ricky Ponting, a two-time World Cup champion captain, has predicted which two sides will compete in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final in Australia later this year and which one will take home the championship.
Ponting has recently observed a lot of Twenty20 cricket, having served as Justin Langer’s assistant for a period of time, served as the head coach of the Delhi Capitals in the IPL for the past five years, and provided commentary for Big Bash League games.
He recently discussed his thoughts on the forthcoming T20 World Cup with host Sanjana Ganesan on the most recent episode of The ICC Review after closely observing and analysing the greatest players in the world.
Who wins the coveted trophy?
Ponting, who acknowledges that some luck is necessary to win a significant ICC trophy, was strong on the teams he believed had the best chance of succeeding in Australia.
“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,” Ponting declared.
“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.”
Who is the main danger to Australia and India then?
Ponting has been a long-time fan of Brendon McCullum and has been supremely impressed with what the brash Kiwi has produced so far during his tenure during recent Test series’.
He also knows how capable new England white-ball coach Matthew Mott is given his superb record with Australia’s women’s team.
“I actually think England are an outstanding white-ball team and they have an outstanding white-ball setup,” Ponting said.
“I just think the three teams on paper that look to have most class and the most match-winners are India, Australia and England.”
What about Pakistan?
Pakistan legend Waqar Younis recently said his former team had an excellent chance of claiming a second T20 World Cup title in Australia, but Ponting isn’t so sure.
While Ponting acknowledges the class of star pacer Shaheen Afridi and the guile of Mohammad Rizwan at the top of the order, he said their batting line-up is too reliant on captain and No.1 ranked batter Babar Azam.
“If Babar doesn’t have a great tournament, I don’t think they can win,” Ponting said.
“I saw him up close and personal a couple of years ago out here in a Test series against Australia and I said it then, I thought the sky was the limit for this guy as far as Test match batting (was concerned) and, if anything, he’s probably got better and better in the last couple of years.
“Their openers are very important and their new-ball bowlers are very important, but that role of the spin bowler in Australia might be a little bit more difficult with wickets that probably won’t give them assistance.”
What about the rest of the teams?
Ponting gives a few other sides an outside chance of riding their luck all the way and at least making it to the title decider at the MCG on November 13.
“I know the game too well and any of New Zealand, Pakistan or West Indies even – we know how they tend to love playing this game and they’re probably most suited to the T20 format.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if any of those sides find their way through to the final.”
T20 World cup 2022 Fixtures
Group A: Namibia, Sri Lanka, UAE, Netherlands
Group B: Ireland, Scotland, West Indies, Zimbabwe
Group 1: Afghanistan, Australia, England, New Zealand, Winner Group A, Runner-Up Group B
Group 2: India, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, Runner Up Group A, Winner Group B
|
Match Date |
Match Centre |
Time in IST |
Stadium |
Venue |
|
16-Oct-2022 |
Sri Lanka VS Namibia |
9:30 AM |
Kardinia Park |
Geelong |
|
16-Oct-2022 |
United Arab Emirates VS Qualifier 3 |
1:30 PM |
Kardinia Park |
Geelong |
|
17-Oct-2022 |
West Indies VS Scotland |
9:30 AM |
Bellerive Oval |
Hobart |
|
17-Oct-2022 |
Qualifier 1 VS Ireland |
1:30 PM |
Bellerive Oval |
Hobart |
|
18-Oct-2022 |
Namibia VS Qualifier 3 |
9:30 AM |
Kardinia Park |
Geelong |
|
18-Oct-2022 |
Sri Lanka VS the United Arab Emirates |
1:30 PM |
Kardinia Park |
Geelong |
|
19-Oct-2022 |
Scotland VS Ireland |
9:30 AM |
Bellerive Oval |
Hobart |
|
19-Oct-2022 |
West Indies VS Qualifier 1 |
1:30 PM |
Bellerive Oval |
Hobart |
|
20-Oct-2022 |
Sri Lanka VS Qualifier 3 |
9:30 AM |
Kardinia Park |
Geelong |
|
20-Oct-2022 |
Namibia VS the United Arab Emirates |
1:30 PM |
Kardinia Park |
Geelong |
|
21-Oct-2022 |
West Indies VS Ireland |
9:30 AM |
Bellerive Oval |
Hobart |
|
21-Oct-2022 |
Scotland VS Qualifier 1 |
1:30 PM |
Bellerive Oval |
Hobart |
|
Match Date |
Match Centre |
Time in IST |
Stadium |
Venue |
|
22-Oct-2022 |
Australia vs New Zealand |
12:30 PM |
Sydney Cricket Ground |
Sydney |
|
22-Oct-2022 |
England vs Afghanistan |
4:30 PM |
Perth Stadium |
Burswood |
|
23-Oct-2022 |
A1 vs B2 |
9:30 AM |
Bellerive Oval |
Hobart |
|
25-Oct-2022 |
Australia vs A1 |
4:30 PM |
Perth Stadium |
Burswood |
|
26-Oct-2022 |
England vs B2 |
9:30 AM |
Melbourne Cricket Ground |
Melbourne |
|
26-Oct-2022 |
New Zealand vs Afghanistan |
1:30 PM |
Melbourne Cricket Ground |
Melbourne |
|
28-Oct-2022 |
Afghanistan vs B2 |
9:30 AM |
Melbourne Cricket Ground |
Melbourne |
|
28-Oct-2022 |
England vs Australia |
1:30 PM |
Melbourne Cricket Ground |
Melbourne |
|
29-Oct-2022 |
New Zealand vs A1 |
1:30 PM |
Sydney Cricket ground |
Sydney |
|
31-Oct-2022 |
Australia vs B2 |
1:30 PM |
The Gabba |
Brisbane |
|
1-Nov-2022 |
Afghanistan vs A1 |
9:30 AM |
The Gabba |
Brisbane |
|
1-Nov-2022 |
England vs New Zealand |
1:30 PM |
The Gabba |
Brisbane |
|
4-Nov-2022 |
New Zealand vs B2 |
9:30 AM |
Adelaide Oval |
Adelaide |
|
4-Nov-2022 |
Australia vs Afghanistan |
1:30 PM |
Adelaide Oval |
Adelaide |
|
5-Nov-2022 |
England vs A1 |
1:30 PM |
Sydney Cricket ground |
Sydney |
|
Match Date |
Match Centre |
Time in IST |
Stadium |
Venue |
|
23-Oct-2022 |
India vs Pakistan |
1:30 PM |
Melbourne Cricket Ground |
Melbourne |
|
24-Oct-2022 |
Bangladesh vs A2 |
9:30 AM |
Bellerive Oval |
Hobart |
|
24-Oct-2022 |
South Africa vs B1 |
1:30 PM |
Bellerive Oval |
Hobart |
|
27-Oct-2022 |
South Africa vs Bangladesh |
8:30 AM |
Sydney Cricket Ground |
Sydney |
|
27-Oct-2022 |
India vs A2 |
12:30 PM |
Sydney Cricket Ground |
Sydney |
|
27-Oct-2022 |
Pakistan vs B1 |
4:30 PM |
Perth Stadium |
Perth |
|
30-Oct-2022 |
Bangladesh vs B1 |
8:30 AM |
The Gabba |
Brisbane |
|
30-Oct-2022 |
Pakistan vs A2 |
12:30 PM |
Perth Stadium |
Perth |
|
30-Oct-2022 |
India vs South Africa |
4:30 PM |
Perth Stadium |
Perth |
|
2-Nov-2022 |
B1 vs A2 |
9:30 AM |
Adelaide Oval |
Adelaide |
|
2-Nov-2022 |
India vs Bangladesh |
1:30 PM |
Adelaide Oval |
Adelaide |
|
3-Nov-2022 |
Pakistan vs South Africa |
1:30 PM |
Sydney Cricket Ground |
Sydney |
|
6-Nov-2022 |
South Africa vs A2 |
5:30 AM |
Adelaide Oval |
Adelaide |
|
6-Nov-2022 |
Pakistan vs Bangladesh |
9:30 AM |
Adelaide Oval |
Adelaide |
|
6-Nov-2022 |
India vs B1 |
1:30 PM |
Melbourne Cricket Ground |
Melbourne |
T20 World Cup 2022 – Knockouts and Final
|
Match Date |
Match Centre |
Time in IST |
Stadium |
Venue |
|
9-Nov-2022 |
Semifinal 1 |
1:30 PM |
Sydney Cricket Ground |
Sydney |
|
10-Nov-2022 |
Semifinal 2 |
1:30 PM |
Adelaide Oval |
Adelaide |
|
13-Nov-2022 |
Final |
1:30 PM |
Melbourne Cricket Ground |
Melbourne |
Cricket fans can get T20 World Cup Tickets through our trusted online ticketing marketplace. Xchangetickets.com is the most reliable source to book T20 World Cup tickets. Sign up for the latest Ticket alert.
0
