There is a lot of excitement in the cricket fraternity for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, slated to be held in the West Indies and USA from June 1 to June 29.
Ahead of the marquee event, cricket fans experts have made all sorts of predictions. Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has also joined the bandwagon, picking Jasprit Bumrah and Travis Head to emerge as the leading wicket-taker and run-getter, respectively, in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Ponting feels that the Indian pace spearhead has been coming off a sensational IPL 2024 season and his ability to exploit with the new ball will be crucial.
"My leading wicket-taker for the tournament will be Jasprit Bumrah," Ponting told The ICC Review.
"I just think an outstanding performer, contributor for a number of years now. He's just come off an outstanding IPL.
"What he can do with the new ball, he swings the new ball, he has the seam up. But at the end, his economy rate at the end of the IPL was less than seven runs an over.
"He takes wickets. He does bowl a lot of the hard overs too. When you bowl the hard overs in T20 cricket, it gives you a chance to pick up a lot of wickets along the way. So, I'm going with him," he added.
Bumrah was among the leading wicket-takers in IPL 2024, claiming 20 scalps in 13 matches at an economy rate of 6.48. The right-arm quick has been India's match-winner on the biggest of stages and will look to replicate his success with the ball in the forthcoming ICC tournament.
Ponting expects Australia's explosive opener Head to top the runs chart in the T20 World Cup 2024, considering his fearless approach.
"My prediction for the leading run-scorer will be Travis Head," Ponting said. "I just think everything he's done, whether it be red-ball or white-ball in the last couple of years, has been of the highest quality. I think he's playing fearless cricket at the moment."
"His IPL had its ups and downs, but when it's been good, it's been very good. And it has won games of cricket for his team."
"And it'll be exactly the same for Australia. So, look, he might not be the most consistent on the way through this tournament, but he'll be right up there, I'm sure, with the leading run scorers. And as I've said, if he spends any amount of time at the wicket for Australia, he'll win more games than ever."
Head was at his brutal best in the IPL 2024, finishing as SRH's leading run-getter with 567 runs in 15 matches at a strike-rate of 191.55, including one hundred and four half-centuries.
