Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has expressed hope that India will face defending champions Australia in the 20-20 World Cup 2022 final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The event, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 13th, is only a few days away.
With the Super-12 stages coming to an end, Australia awaits their fate, while India is almost certain to advance to the tournament’s semi-finals. Unlike their previous campaign, Australia has blown hot and cold in patches, resulting in a crushing defeat to New Zealand.
The England game’s cancellation also hampered their chances of reaching the semi-finals, but as things stand, anything can happen in Group 1. Australia is in charge of its own destiny. They must now defeat Afghanistan in order to advance to the semi-finals.
“Honestly, who knows who is going to be playing in Melbourne. I hope Australia find a way to get through the group. South Africa are the only unbeaten team left so they will be dangerous but I will say what I did at the start and that is an Australia v India final,” Ponting wrote in Apex Cricket Council’s Forum.
I told the boys to embrace the moment: Ricky Ponting
The former batter shared some advice, saying that he wants the players to express themselves as much as possible or they will come to regret it later.
“Every big game I went into, especially when I was captain of Australia, I told the boys to embrace the moment for what it is. Don’t let it run away from you, don’t treat it like any other game, because it is not. The more you can express to yourself and to others that this is a bigger game, then you are not trying to hide anything and the better you will play,” Ponting wrote.
The tournament’s semi-finals will be played on the 9th of November and the 10th of November at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) and the Adelaide Oval, respectively.
