ICC World Cup 2011: Ricky Ponting hopeful of Australia’s chances
Australian skipper Ricky Ponting believes that the recent results before the ICC World Cup 2011 do not count for much.
“I don’t really care where we start the tournament. It’s irrelevant,” he stated before adding that the positions and rankings are mere numbers.
Ponting was talking to the media after the Australian team arrived in India to prepare for the event which gets underway from 19 February.
He stated that the buzz before the World Cup adds to the build-up of the tournament, but no one can really predict the winner based on recent performances.
He recalled how the team was surrounded by ‘negativity’ in the previous World Cup in the West Indies. Ponting and his team had lost the 2007-08 Commonwealth Bank series against India by 2-0 and also lost toNew Zealand before the cricket extravaganza kicked off in September 2007.
“...there were a few doubts around our team (in the last World Cup), but we went there and won,” Ponting said, highlighting the fact that the lead-up to the tournament has no effect on how a team fares during the World Cup.
The right-handed batsman, however, stated that he was pleased with the team’s current performance as they beat England 6-1 in the recently concluded seven-match ODI series.
He told the media that the team is buoyant after winning against a ‘pretty good’ English side and is seeking to cash on the momentum.
However, he brushed aside the World Cup favourite talks, saying that he is not ‘bothered’ as there are many potential winners for the trophy.
He pointed out that in the Subcontinent conditions, many teams can perform. However, he rated India andSouth Africa as the standout teams for the tournament.
India have already raised the expectations of the cricket enthusiasts as the favourable conditions and their success rate on home grounds have made them the favourites to win the title for the second time.
But the 36-year-old Australian captain stressed that Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand can also emerge as threats in the event.
Tagged in: cricket, South Africa, India, Australia, Caribbean, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, ODI, Ricky Ponting, world cup 2011, 2007 world cup, Commonwealth Bank series
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