Two-time World Cup-winning former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has labelled his country’s 2026 T20 World Cup campaign as “really poor”, admitting the team failed to deliver in key moments and paid the price for costly slip-ups.
Ponting assessed Australia’s premature exit from the ongoing tournament and also looked ahead to how the side could shape up for the next edition in 2028.
Australia managed just one win from three matches and are already out of contention for the Super Eights, irrespective of their final group fixture against Oman.
“It’s been a really poor campaign, it has to be said,” Ponting said during his assessment on the ICC Review.
“They had some injury concerns at the start with (Josh) Hazlewood and (Pat) Cummins being ruled out and then Tim David not available right at the start as well. But I think just losing to Zimbabwe like they did, that’s going to be the game that they’re going to think back and think like that’s our World Cup gone, there and then.
“I think looking at the pool before the start of the tournament, I felt Sri Lanka would be difficult to beat at home and that’s certainly the way it turned out. They played really well against Australia. That was an amazing run chase when you look at it. That sort of score is never an easy one to chase down.
“But to think that Zimbabwe outplayed Australia in an ICC event, it’s those opportunities that you can’t afford to give up in a tournament like this,” he added.
Ponting admitted he had faced some friendly banter following Australia’s early exit. “I’ve had a fair bit of ribbing, it has to be said, from a lot of Indian friends of mine over the last few days, but that’s part and parcel.”
“You take the good with the bad and more often than not, I’ve been able to be the one that’s been able to send a cheeky message back and forth myself – but certainly not in this tournament!”
He suggested the current T20 side lacks the aura of past Australian teams at ICC events.
“I think I said to you the other day that you look at that Australian team on paper, it just doesn’t look to have that sort of aura around it that a lot of other Australian teams have going into ICC events and World Cups,” he said.
“You need to have your best players and your most experienced players standing up and winning big moments for you in these tournaments if you want to go ahead and win and Australia haven’t had that.
Ponting dismissed suggestions that Australia do not prioritise the T20 World Cup, pointing instead to scheduling challenges following a gruelling Ashes summer.
“I’m not sure that that’s true. I think it’s probably hard for a lot of the players to get up immediately after an Ashes series. And let’s not forget, our guys just went through five really long Test matches and it’s physically and mentally draining for a couple of months. Some of the boys went back and played some BBL. The other guys decided to try and rest and freshen up and be ready for a World Cup,” he said.
“But trust me, any Australian team that I’ve been in or been around, yes, the (home) international series is important, Border-Gavaskar (Trophy) is important, but the reason you play is to win World Cups and win titles. The fact that we had as many players out as we did and some of our best players just not stepping up is the reason that you don’t win,” he added.
Looking ahead to the 2028 T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, and the possibility of cricket featuring at the Los Angeles Olympics, Ponting predicted changes in personnel.