Legendary batter Ricky Ponting weighed in on Australia's chances for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup, saying that they have a "chance as good as anybody" to clinch their second title and emphasized the "flexibility" within the squad due to the presence of several all-rounders.
The 2021 champions have an underwhelming record in T20 World Cups. In the last edition, losses to India and Afghanistan knocked them out in the Super Eight Stage.
While Ponting believes Australia do have a chance in the 2026 edition, he acknowledged that conditions and talent make defending champions India a "clear favourite".
The showpiece tournament, featuring 20 teams, will be played across five venues in India and three in Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
"If you look at the squad, I think they (Australia) have as good a chance as anybody," Ponting said on the latest episode of ICC Review.
"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.
According to Ponting, Australia have a lot of experience in their ranks despite "slight transition" within the side after the retirements of David Warner (from all international cricket) and Mitchell Starc (in T20Is). Even without injured pace stalwarts Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, they have quality wicket-taking pacers in Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis.
With conditions in Sri Lanka being spin-friendly, Ponting reckons the Aussies will start the group-stage 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," the former Australia skipper 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," he added.
Ponting backed all-rounder Cameron Green to bat at No.3, 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. And then they have got that experience in the middle with Maxwell and Stoinis and Co. It is a very good squad," Ponting stated.
Ponting stressed that in ICC events, teams need their star players to rise to the occasion, something he feels Australia missed in the 2024 edition of T20 World Cup.
"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 will begin their campaign on February 11 against Ireland. They have been placed in Group B along with Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
Australia’s T20 World Cup 2026 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).
