Speaking in Sydney, Ricky Ponting said that at the beginning of the tournament, he believed the absence of experienced bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins had adversely affected the team. However, after Australia’s defeat to Zimbabwe national cricket team, it became clear to him that the team lacked the determination and competitive spirit required to win the title. According to Ponting, that particular match made it evident that Australia would not be able to secure the World Cup this time.
He further stated that even before the tournament began, he felt it would be difficult to defeat the Sri Lanka national cricket team on their home soil—and this assessment proved accurate. The manner in which Sri Lanka played against Australia reflected their elevated confidence and strong morale. Ponting noted that the way Sri Lanka chased the target demonstrated that they fully deserved the victory, emphasizing that pursuing such a total is never an easy task.
He also admitted being surprised by Zimbabwe’s upset win over Australia. The way Zimbabwe outplayed Australia left the team facing criticism and ridicule. Australia has traditionally been regarded as a strong contender for major titles, but in this tournament, both the batting and bowling units failed to deliver. Ponting added humorously that following Australia’s early exit from the tournament, he had to endure quite a few taunts from people.
