ICC WTC Final: We are just a couple of sleeps away from the biggest game in Test cricket. The ICC World Test Championship Final is here as India and Australia will cross swords with each other in a summit clash. The event will take place at Oval England from the 7th to the 11th of June.
ICC WTC Final: Ricky Ponting and Wasim Akram pick Australia as favourites to win the
The excitement for the ICC WTC final is building up. Both the teams have reached the Oval and are putting in hard yards for the game. It’s fair to say that they have got a fair amount of time to prepare and by the game comes, the teams would be roaring to go. With English conditions on offer, it’ll be an extremely challenging contest for both.
With the ICC WTC final just a couple of days away, Legends of the game in Ravi Shastri, Ricky Ponting, Wasim Akram, Ian Bell and Ross Taylor in a pre-game live event, An Afternoon with Test Cricket Legends, we’re addressing the game also spoke to both the captains of the game. They also picked the favourites to win the game.
Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting backed the Pat Cummins-led side to win the game because he feels that the players will be fresh as compared to Indian players who will be coming after the two-month-long IPL. He said:
“Australia) are slight favourites. I mean, there wasn’t much between them through a two-year cycle, right? So that says that these two teams, through two years, have beaten more opposition than they’ve lost to, and they deserve to finish first and second. The interesting thing as far as preparation is concerned is that some of the Australians have done nothing. They haven’t been playing any cricket at all.”
Former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram too picked Australia as favourites to win the game. He said that the Pat Cummins-led side will be slight favourites to win the game and toss will also play a crucial role.
“I agree with Ricky. Australia are slight favourites. It depends on the weather as well. And I think weather has been excellent, will be excellent from the seventh onwards. And toss is also crucial. And the pitch also matters. But Australia are slight favourites.”
ICC WTC Final: Ravi Shastri backs Australia to win the World Test Championship Final
Apart from Ricky Ponting and Wasim Jaffer, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri also backed Australia to win the game. He said that the Pat Cummins-led side on paper are strong than India but match fitness might cost them. He explained:
“Australia. On paper, if you look man to man, they have the slight edge, but that match fitness might be the key. Where Shami might just come in and do the damage in the first half an hour because he’s been playing so much, as opposed to someone settling in to a line length and the right areas to bowl.”
India hasn’t won an ICC trophy since 2013 and would be eager to end the drought. On the other hand, Australia didn’t lose a single series in this edition of the WTC Final and would be looking to clinch their maiden trophy.