T20 World Cup 2026: Ricky Ponting’s top picks for leading run-scorer and Player of the Tournament

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The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to explode across India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, featuring 20 teams competing in 55 high-octane matches. The tournament spans eight iconic venues, including Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Chennai in India, alongside Colombo and Kandy in Sri Lanka. Defending champions India will kick off the spectacle on February 7 against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium, while the grand final is slated for the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

In a massive endorsement ahead of the tournament, legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting has named opener Abhishek Sharma as his pick to be both the leading run-scorer and the Player of the Tournament. Ponting, who was Abhishek’s first IPL coach at Delhi, revealed he ‘pleaded’ with the franchise not to trade the youngster years ago, having recognized his superstar potential from his very first ball. The ICC Hall of Famer believes that Abhishek’s ‘lack of experience’ in major ICC events is a secret weapon, allowing him to play without mental baggage or fear.

“He’s a star. I think it’s (lack of experience) a real positive to be honest. He can be the leading run-scorer and potentially the Player of the Tournament. That’s how good I think he is. And if he does, that makes India even harder to beat. If he doesn’t, then they’re as vulnerable as anybody else. So that’s how important I think he is to this (T20) World Cup for India.” Ponting was quoted as saying by ICC.

Following a sensational series against New Zealand where he struck at an astounding average of 45.50 and a strike rate of 249.31, Abhishek is viewed by Ponting as the ‘X-factor’ who makes India nearly impossible to beat if he finds his rhythm early in the group stages.

“I was his first IPL coach. He debuted with me, I think as a 17-year-old at Delhi and made an immediate impact. I think he hit his first ball for four or six straight back over the bowler’s head with that classical sort of straight bat and held the pose. And you could just see then as a 17-year-old that there was something extra special. We ended up trading him away from Delhi, but I pleaded and pleaded and pleaded and said, please don’t do this. We’ve got to (keep him), there’s an absolute superstar in the making here. And that’s what it’s turned out to be. I’ve got really high hopes for him in this time.” Ponting concluded.

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Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue enter the 2026 edition as defending champions and the top-ranked T20I side in the world. India are placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Namibia, the Netherlands and the USA, with their opening fixture scheduled against the Americans at the Wankhede Stadium on February 7.

The squad boasts incredible depth, featuring a mix of seasoned veterans like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya alongside explosive ‘Gen-Next’ stars who have dominated the home series leading up to the Cup. With the tournament being co-hosted across India and Sri Lanka, the home advantage and familiarity with subcontinental tracks make India the overwhelming favorites to become the first team to win back-to-back Men’s T20 World Cup titles.

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