ICC World Cup 2023: Ricky Ponting Names The Bowler Who Will Be The Key For Australia In The Upcoming World Cup

With the 2023 ODI World Cup right around the corner, teams are now settling into choosing which players are likely to make it to their squads. One of the most essential bowlers for Australia throughout previous World Cups has been Mitchell Starc, and former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting picks him to be the key to his side’s success in the tournament.

Starc has been one of the most lethal bowlers for the past decade or so. His world-class skills are best on display in ODI World Cups, for the last two of which he has been the highest wicket-taker (2015 and 2019).

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With injuries shelving him on many occasions in the last few years, the six-foot-five bowler is now fit and is willing to prove the ace bowler for his nation at yet another WC.

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Ricky Ponting, who won two World Cups with Australia as captain, lauded Starc for being one of the most all-round fast bowlers around.

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“It’s the overall package of Mitchell Starc. He’s six-foot-five, bowls in the high 140-km per hour, he’s a left-armer and he swings the new ball back in as Suryakumar found out. When he’s on song, he’s as good as anyone in the world and has been for a long time,” he said.

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Ponting then went after Mitchell Starc’s detractors, calling him an outstanding white-ball cricketer:

“For lots of strange reasons, there has always been people willing to sit back and take potshots at Mitchell Starc for some of his performances. But if you have a cold hard look at the facts, particularly in white-ball cricket, his numbers are absolutely outstanding.”

Along with Mitchell Starc, Ricky Ponting calls Adam Zampa as Australia’s key bowler ahead of the World Cup

Ricky Ponting called Adam Zampa one of the key bowlers for Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup to be hosted by India.

In the ongoing Cricket World Cup Super League, which will determine which teams will qualify for the namesake’s tournament in October-December, Zampa has been the highest wicket-taker of all, with 41 scalps in 18 games at an average of 19.73.

Speaking of Zampa’s importance for Australia in a World Cup in the sub-continent, Ricky Ponting said –

“He’s probably been Australia’s key bowler in all white-ball cricket for a long time, along with Mitchell Starc. Starc has been great but Adam Zampa for four or five years now has been a real revelation.”

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Both Zampa and Starc were part of Australia’s squad in the recent ODI series against India and played a crucial role in their side’s 2-1 series win. They would be looking to play similar roles in the ODI World Cup later this year.

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