Ricky Ponting highlights Australia's shortcomings that could cost them T20 World Cup

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has highlighted the shortcomings in the Aaron Finch-led side that could stop the Kangaroos from winning their maiden World T20 title. Ponting, while speaking to the SEN radio channel, said the Australian team lacks a specialist who could come down the batting order and play big innings. Ponting said this is the only difference he has seen between the Australian team and their rival sides. The two-time World Cup-winning captain added that the lack of a specialist lower-order hitter could stop Australia from winning the T20 World Cup in the UAE. 

"All the batters in our T20 team bat one, two or three for their Big Bash teams, and inevitably they become the leading runs scorers at the end of every Big Bash so they get picked for Australia. But who bats at five or six for their Big Bash team every game who's in the current Australian team? There's no-one. If I think of the best finishers I've seen - Kieron Pollard, M S Dhoni, Hardik Pandya - where have they batted their whole lives in the T20 game? But we just don't have many of those guys who are dominating the back of Big Bash games where you can say 'right, you're going to be listed to bat at number six today and if you get 15 balls we know you'll get 30'. So, again, that will potentially be our Achilles heel," Ponting was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. 

Last month, Australia announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Australia's key players, including the likes of David Warner, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, and Glenn Maxwell, who had missed the last two bilateral series citing various reasons, have made a comeback into the squad for the marquee ICC event. After the announcement of the World Cup squad, Ponting had opined that the team is "capable" of lifting the trophy in the UAE this year. "Overall it's a brilliant squad of players that I think are capable of winning the World Cup," Ponting wrote on Twitter. 

Australia's World Cup squad

Australia's T20 World Cup squad: Aaron Finch (Captain), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins (Vice-Captain), Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (Wicketkeeper), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade (Wicketkeeper), David Warner, Adam Zampa. 

Travelling reserves: Dan Christian, Nathan Ellis, Daniel Sams. 

Image: AP