T20 World Cup: Ricky Ponting Backs Bumrah, Head To Come Good In West Indies And USA

India’s fast bowling backbone Bumrah picked up 20 wickets in 13 games and was one of the few shining lights for Mumbai Indians after their worst-ever campaign in the recently concluded IPL 2024. 

Travis Head, on the other hand, had his best-ever IPL run, scoring 567 runs in just 15 games at an average of 40.50 with a whopping strike rate of 191.55. He scored four fifties and a hundred, helping Sunrisers Hyderabad to reach the finals of the lucrative league.

“My leading wicket-taker for the tournament will be Jasprit Bumrah. I just think an outstanding performer, contributor for a number of years now. He's just come off an outstanding IPL,” Ponting was quoted as saying by the PTI. 

“My prediction for the leading run-scorer will be Travis Head. I just think everything he's done, whether it be red-ball or white-ball in the last couple of years, has been of the highest quality. I think he's playing fearless cricket at the moment,” Ponting added. 

India are placed alongside Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, and USA and will kick start their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, whereas Australia are with England, Namibia, Scotland and Oman and will start against Oman on June 6 at Bridgetown in Barbados.