Australia’s Twenty20 World Cup campaign ended in disappointment, and the post-mortem has already begun. Former captain Ricky Ponting has delivered a blunt assessment of the team’s performance, and, more specifically, the future of veteran all-rounder Glenn Maxwell.
Ponting stated unequivocally that he doesn’t foresee Maxwell featuring in another World Cup for Australia, a stark pronouncement following the team’s group-stage exit. The assessment came after Maxwell managed just 62 runs across three matches – 9 against Ireland, 31 against Zimbabwe, and 22 against Sri Lanka – and failed to take a wicket with his off-spin bowling.
“Glenn Maxwell, I don’t think will be there,” Ponting told the ICC website. “I think it looks to me like his career is coming towards an end.”
The timing of Ponting’s comments is particularly noteworthy. Maxwell had previously retired from the 50-over format last year and opted out of the 2026 Indian Premier League season. This, coupled with his recent form, appears to have solidified Ponting’s view.
Australia’s struggles in the tournament weren’t solely attributed to Maxwell’s underperformance. Ponting pinpointed the defeat against Zimbabwe as a pivotal moment, the game where the team’s World Cup aspirations effectively evaporated. He recalled his own experience of losing to Zimbabwe at the 2007 T20 World Cup, suggesting a similar sense of shock and disappointment within the current squad.
“It’s been a really poor campaign, it has to be said,” Ponting said. “They had some injury concerns at the start with [Josh] Hazlewood and [Pat] Cummins being ruled out and then Tim David not available right at the start as well. But I think just losing to Zimbabwe like they did, that’s going to be the game that they’re going to think back and think like that’s our World Cup gone, there and then.”
While Maxwell’s future appears uncertain, Ponting also questioned the role of Marcus Stoinis, noting his limited involvement in domestic first-class cricket. However, he suggested Stoinis’s focus on T20 franchise leagues could still keep him in contention. “Marcus Stoinis would also probably be a question mark, but he’s predominantly playing only T20 cricket tournaments around the world these days. Doesn’t play a lot of state cricket and obviously plays the BBL, so with his all-round ability, he might be there.”
Despite the gloomy outlook for some, Ponting identified several players he expects to remain key figures for Australia in future tournaments, including Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, and Josh Inglis. He also highlighted the potential of Cameron Green, though acknowledging concerns about his consistency. “Cameron Green will be around if in fact his form is good enough to stay in the side. That’s another bit of a worry I think for Australia, certainly across Test match cricket and probably T20 cricket, what we saw in this World Cup.”
The Australian coach, Andrew McDonald, defended the team’s preparation and selection, rejecting suggestions that the team hadn’t prioritized the T20 World Cup following the Ashes series. He emphasized the balance of the squad, pointing to the inclusion of Test players like Cameron Green, Travis Head, and Josh Inglis. “I think we won the one [T20 World Cup] in 2021 and we haven’t been as successful since that point in time, and the expectations on the Australian cricket team are high and rightfully so,” McDonald said in Sri Lanka. “But to sit back and say that we’re prioritising other formats or other versions of the game and not the T20 World Cup is entirely false.”
McDonald acknowledged the team’s disappointment, describing the squad as “devastated” to have been eliminated so early in the tournament. He confirmed a full review of the campaign would be conducted upon the team’s return home.
Ponting also touched on a broader issue – a perceived lack of “aura” surrounding the current Australian team. He believes the team lacked the presence and confidence of previous Australian sides that have dominated ICC events. “You need to have your best players and your most experienced players standing up and winning big moments for you in these tournaments if you want to go ahead and win and Australia haven’t had that.”
The assessment from Ponting is a sobering one for Australian cricket fans. While the team still has a final, largely inconsequential match against Oman to play, the focus has already shifted to identifying the root causes of their failure and planning for the future. The question now is whether Australia can rebuild and rediscover the winning formula that has defined their cricketing success for so long.
Ponting also dismissed any suggestion of internal discord among former players, stating that WhatsApp groups were filled with support for the team, not criticism. “We just want to see our team do well. So, unfortunately, that hasn’t happened over the last couple of weeks. And that’s something that group of players has to live with.”
