Ricky Ponting heaped praise on Travis Head and hailed the opener as one of the best all-format players in the world after Australia’s win in the final of the World Cup 2023.
Head’s exceptional century was instrumental in Australia’s victory over India.
His innings of 137 runs from 120 balls were marked by aggressive and skillful batting, particularly against India’s spinners. This match-winning knock included 15 fours and four sixes, showcasing his ability to accelerate after reaching his century.
Head’s contributions to the World Cup 2023 campaign were significant. He was never on the losing side throughout the tournament, with his semi-final performance featuring a solid 62 runs and taking 2 wickets for 21 runs off five overs, including the key dismissal of Heinrich Klaasen. His performances were not just limited to batting; he also made an impact in the field.
In the final, Head took a sensational diving catch to dismiss India’s captain Rohit Sharma, which was a turning point in the match and quietened the heavily pro-Indian crowd.
Despite suffering a broken hand during the warmup ODI series against South Africa, Head was backed by the selectors and the medical team, enabling him to recover and participate in the World Cup. He missed the first five group games but returned with a bang against New Zealand, hitting a 94-ball 109.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Ponting hailed Head as one of the best all-format players in the World at the moment. The former Australia captain also said that while Head is unorthodox at times, he does see off the new ball and is able to score big runs.
“Travis is emerging as one of the three or four best all-format players in the world. His Test record is outstanding.”
“He is unorthodox at times [in one-day cricket] and you wonder how he will get past the new ball, but he does and scores big runs,” said Ponting.
