"My leading wicket-taker for the tournament will be Jasprit Bumrah" - Ricky Ponting ahead of T20 World Cup 2024

Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has backed Jasprit Bumrah to be the highest wicket-taker at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Ponting believes a stellar IPL season makes Bumrah a frontrunner to pick the most wickets at the showpiece ICC event.

Since his comeback from injury in August 2023, Bumrah has been lethal for India across formats, leading their bowling attack with confidence. The 30-year-old was the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024, claiming 20 scalps in 13 innings at 16.80 apiece. His economy rate of 6.48 was also amongst the best in the tournament.

Speaking on an episode of the ICC Review, Ponting hailed Bumrah's consistency and reflected how well the right-arm speedster thrives in tough overs.

"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. What he can do with the new ball, he swings the new ball, he has the seam up.

"But at the end, his economy rate at the end of the IPL was less than seven runs an over. He takes wickets. He does bowl a lot of the hard overs too. When you bowl the hard overs in T20 cricket, it gives you a chance to pick up a lot of wickets along the way. So, I'm going with him."

Bumrah has so far played in 10 T20 World Cup matches, picking up 11 wickets at 22.55. The Ahmedabad-born cricketer missed the previous edition plated in Australia due to a back injury.

"He's playing fearless cricket at the moment" - Ricky Ponting on Australia opener

Ricky Ponting. (Image Credits: Getty)

Ponting predicted Travis Head as the leading run-scorer for the upcoming T20 World Cup. He lauded the left-hander's fearlessness and the high-risk approach he has adopted.

While the 49-year-old accepted Head wasn't consistent enough, the World Cup-winning captain still backed him to be amongst the runs.

"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.

"His IPL had its ups and downs, but when it's been good, it's been very good. And it has won games of cricket for his team. And it'll be exactly the same for Australia. So, look, he might not be the most consistent on the way through this tournament, but he'll be right up there, I'm sure, with the leading run scorers."

Head finished IPL 2024 with 567 runs for the SunRisers Hyderabad in 15 matches at a strike-rate of 191.55.