Legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting dissected the Kangaroos’ poor campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026 tournament. Australia was knocked out of the competition in the group stage itself in a shocking outcome, as Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe qualified for the Super 8s from Group B.

Australia won just one match, against Ireland, in their campaign, while losing to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. They still have one game left, against Oman, to close out their T20 World Cup. Ponting spoke in depth about the Aussies' campaign.

"It's been a really poor campaign, it has to be said. They had some injury concerns at the start, with Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins being ruled out, and then Tim David not being 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 on 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,” Ponting said on ICC Review show.

Ponting lauded Zimbabwe for outplaying Australia in Colombo and stated that it was something the Aussies couldn’t afford in an ICC tournament. Ponting also joked that he had been the target of some pranks as a result of Australia's impending formal exit from the event.

"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.

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," Ponting added.

Ponting claimed that the current Australian lineup in the shortest format lacked some of the aura of past teams wearing the famed green and gold.

"I think I said to you the other day that when 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.

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 hasn't had that,” Ponting stated.

“They probably haven't gotten enough out of their top-order batting with Cameron Green at No. 3 and then Tim David coming in at No. 4 for the last couple of games. Those two haven't fired, and Australia has lost early wickets, certainly in the game against Zimbabwe.

They went off to a great start the other night (against Sri Lanka), and then to lose six for 20, I think it was in the last four or five overs, taking no momentum at all into the second part of the game.

Once again, there are just little areas that you have to win that Australia hasn't been able to win. As a past player and in these WhatsApp groups that we're on, we certainly don't sit back and bash the current players or talk about them in a negative way when they don't win. We just want to see our team do well. So, unfortunately, that hasn't happened over the last couple of weeks. And that's something that group of players has to live with,” Ponting said.

Ponting was also questioned on the future of Australia's T20 team, given that the nation will co-host the 2028 T20 World Cup with New Zealand and may play in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

"I think Mitchell Marsh will probably hang on long enough for that, and I think Travis Head will definitely be around, and (Josh) Inglis will be around. Steve Smith has been very vocal about him wanting to be a part of an Olympic team as well. Whether or not that happens is a different story.

Cameron Green will be around if, in fact, his form is good enough to stay in the side. That's another bit of a worry, I think, for Australia, certainly across Test match cricket and probably T20 cricket, from what we saw in this World Cup. You would think Nathan Ellis would be around; Xavier Bartlett will be there. Cooper Connolly would be there and thereabouts.

Glenn Maxwell, I don't think I will be there. I think it looks to me like his career is coming to an end. Marcus Stoinis would also probably be a question mark, but he's predominantly playing only T20 cricket tournaments around the world these days. Doesn't play a lot of state cricket and obviously plays the BBL, so with his all-around ability, he might be there,” Ponting stated.

(ICC inputs)