Ricky Ponting picks his World XI of T20 World Cup stars

A mix of flair and aggression at the top, a dynamic middle-order, all-round spin options, and an incisive pace attack make up Ricky Ponting’s Dream T20 World Cup XI.

Here are the players that make up Ponting’s side - make your own selections with the official T20 World Cup Fantasy!

Openers

Virat Kohli

There’s no surprise at the top as Ponting selects India superstar Virat Kohli to open the batting in his side. Kohli has been the leading run-scorer in this edition of the IPL so far (708 runs at a strike rate of 155.6) and was also the highest run-getter in the last edition of the T20 World Cup.

“Right at the top, I'm starting with Indian batter Virat Kohli. [He] just came off an amazing IPL. [He’s been a] consistent run scorer and makes big scores. His strike rate was really good [as well].”

Ponting banks on Kohli’s big-match prowess to come good.

“And in big games and big tournaments, you want experience at the top and class. So I'm going with Virat Kohli at number one.”

Travis Head

Kohli’s partner is the destructive Travis Head, who has played a key role in Australia’s recent success in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and has shown blazing form for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.

“Made a bit of a surprise [pick] at number two, but I've watched this guy closely over the last couple of years. Travis Head is in my World XI at the start.”

Despite Head’s inexperience at the T20I level, Head made the cut based on his immense hunger for runs.

“Hasn't played a lot of T20 cricket for Australia, but when he's had his chance in the last couple of years, he's been outstanding. Strikes the ball as cleanly and as hard as anybody in the world at the moment. He's got a great hunger for runs.

“Yes, he might have his ups and downs of being consistent. But when he comes off, he will win games for Australia.”

Middle-order

Suryakumar Yadav

India’s Suryakumar Yadav who is the top-ranked batter in the world in men’s T20Is, is in at number three in Ponting’s World XI.

“Suryakumar Yadav will be my number three batsman. Coming back from an injury, he did some incredible things in the IPL once again.”

Though Suryakumar didn’t have a standout season, his class as a T20 batter made him an obvious pick.

“Wasn't that consistent. But you're going to get that with Surya. What I love about him is his ability to hit the ball 360 degrees all around the ground, whether it's lapping it over the keeper's head in a conventional way or it's reverse-lapping it down to third man or whether it's being good enough to hit the ball back down over his head for four or six.

“He's very much a complete T20 player.”

Glenn Maxwell

Australia’s hard-hitting all-rounder Glenn Maxwell comes in at number four. Despite an indifferent IPL, Maxwell’s all-round ability sees him secure a spot in this XI.

“My number four batsman in my World XI for this T20 World Cup is going to be Glenn Maxwell,” Ponting says. “Now, he hasn't been in his best form at the IPL, in fact, he's missed probably more than half the season.

“But no shock, he comes back into the team in a must-win game (against Chennai Super Kings) and gets the job done.

“And he runs late in the order. Obviously, his off-spin bowling is a little bit underrated as well.”

Ponting went back to Maxwell’s run in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, where his record-breaking 201* helped the side stun Afghanistan after having been 91/7 at one stage.

“And what we saw in the last 50-over World Cup is when the big moments came around, Maxwell had the ability to stand up. So I'm picking him at number four.”

Heinrich Klaasen (wk)

A couple of South Africans come in next into Ponting’s XI. First up is Heinrich Klaasen, who also keeps wicket for the side.

“I’ll go in with Heinrich Klassen for number five batsman and wicketkeeper.”

Klaasen’s main strength lies in his ability to take on the spinners, which Ponting highlighted.

“He has been one of the standout players in the world, no doubt, for the last couple of years, whether it's been through his country or in the IPL. I think he's the best hitter at spin bowling I've ever seen.

“He doesn't use his feet a lot. He stays in his crease stance really still, but he plays the spinners off the back foot as well as anyone.”

David Miller

Southpaw David Miller at No.6 rounds up the middle-order. With an average of 33.85 and a strike rate of 144.55 in T20I cricket, Miller’s strength lies in his ability to finish games with his big-hitting.

“David Miller is number six. Another great finisher, I'm going to go for two South Africans there in a row.

“Powerful left-hander. He's found a real niche for himself in that finishing role in international cricket and in the IPL over the last five or six years. And as I keep saying, experience in these big tournaments is going to be crucial.”

Do you agree with Ponting? Put your own Dream XI together with the official T20 World Cup Fantasy.

Spinners

Ravindra Jadeja

India’s left-arm spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja comes next in Ponting’s XI. Apart from his ability to perform with both bat and the ball, Jadeja is also a world-class fielder who can save crucial runs on the field.

“Left-arm spinner, obviously very powerful, very good. And a very experienced left-handed bowler or a batsman who continually gets the job done for CSK and for India. He's a gun in the field.”

Ponting backs Jadeja because he’s a left-arm spin option who can get the better of right-handed batters, thus giving the team an advantage in one-to-one contests.

“He gets his match-ups right with the ball. He gets a chance to bowl to right-handers through the majority of this tournament and look out.

“What opposition teams will try and do is they'll try and match-up left-handed batters against him and try and hit him with the spin on the left side.

“But if he gets his match-ups right, he's a match-winner and a very, very dangerous player.”

Rashid Khan

Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan is Ponting’s pick for number eight. The swashbuckling all-rounder is lethal with the ball and is a handy contributor with the bat. Like Jadeja, Rashid is an energetic fielder with a safe pair of hands.

“Down to number eight in my World Cup is none other than Rashid Khan.”

With 574 T20 wickets to his name, 138 of them in international cricket, Rashid’s bowling has troubled batters around the globe for a long time.

“Being the standout bowler in the T20 format, basically his whole career, that's six or seven years worth of international cricket ball, Big Bash or IPL, hard to go past him.

“He's very, very good in the field and he's very good with the bat. Late in the innings, he does some ridiculous things with the bat.”

Fast bowlers

Pat Cummins

All-rounder Pat Cummins is the third Australian in Ponting’s XI. While he’s not leading the Australian side, the ICC World Test Championship and Men’s Cricket World Cup winner from last year merits selection based on his cricket alone.

Ponting believes that Cummins is an improved bowler in the format in recent times.

“Pat Cummins gets himself in there at number nine. I think he's really improved as a T20 bowler. The last couple of years, I think he's had more exposure to the game.

“He can take the new ball, he can bowl the high overs through the middle. He's changed his pace to get a whole lot better.

“And with the conditions, that we might see in the Caribbean, his slow balls and variations could be very, very important. Plus, his late-order hitting at number nine can be a real asset for this team.”

Shaheen Afridi

Ponting adds Shaheen Afridi as the “specialist”, whose exceptional wicket-taking ability with the new ball has seen Pakistan find success in recent editions of the T20 World Cup.

“New ball, we can take him [as the] specialist. He swings the new ball at good pace, got the ability to knock over left-handers and right-handers at the top. I'm going for him at number 10.

“He's a new ball specialist. He bowls over 140 kms an hour, swings that brand-new ball. Looks to take wickets up front, which is what you want from your left-arm fast bowlers.

“Also does a good job at the end with his yorkers, so he's got to be in the side. He’s been one of the best-performing fast bowlers in the world for the last four or five years.”

Jasprit Bumrah

India’s scintillating fast bowling sensation Jasprit Bumrah completes Ponting’s XI. The Aussie legend termed the versatile bowler as a “congregator”, who can deliver at any stage of the game.

“He's outstanding with the ball, with the new ball once again. His death bowling is the best I think that I've ever seen,” Ponting says.

“Look back through the history of the game. Someone like Dwayne Bravo, [Lasith] Malinga, [Jasprit] Bumrah's name comes up in that same conversation. So him, for me, I think he's a congregator.”

Bumrah was the second-highest wicket-taker in the group stage of the ongoing IPL, with 20 scalps at an average of 16.8 and an economy rate under seven.

Ponting believed that a similar run in the T20 World Cup might help India go all the way.

“His last IPL was just over seven runs an over at the death. If he has a good tournament, India will definitely be right out. So he comes in at number 11.”

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