Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has expressed his belief that India and Australia are the leading favourites for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy final.

“It’s hard to look past India and Australia again. Consider the quality of players in both countries right now, and historically, whenever major finals and ICC events occur, Australia and India are usually in the mix,” he said while appearing on a recent episode of The ICC Review.

Both teams have a storied history in the tournament, each having won it twice—India in 2002 and 2013, and Australia in 2006 and 2009. They will be eager to secure another ICC title to add to their impressive trophy cabinets.

The rivalry continues, as the two cricketing powerhouses also faced off in the ICC World Test Championship and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2023, with Australia claiming victory in both contests.

Ponting identified Pakistan as a significant contender in the upcoming ICC tournament alongside India and Australia.

“Pakistan is currently playing some excellent cricket,” Ponting stated. He praised their recent performance in one-day matches, noting, “Their one-day cricket has been absolutely outstanding lately.”

While acknowledging that Pakistan can be unpredictable in major tournaments, he said, “It seems like they’ve ironed out some issues and are in a better place now.”