Ponting has watched plenty of T20 cricket in recent times, with the former Australia skipper having spent time as an assistant of the Australian team under Justin Langer, been head coach of Delhi Capitals in the IPL for the last five years and commentating on Big Bash League matches.
Who wins the coveted trophy?
While Ponting admits some luck is required to win a major ICC trophy, the 47-year-old was strong on the teams he thought were most likely to taste success 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.
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.
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.
