World Cup 2019: Ricky Ponting predicts the winner of the final

England and New Zealand are currently playing the final of the 2019 World Cup at the iconic Lord’s. Kane Williamson called it correctly at the toss and chose to bat first without any hesitation. Both the teams defeated the top two teams in the semi-finals to make it to the title clash. While many are touting the hosts to be the favourites to lift the trophy, New Zealand will be happy to stay under the radar and punch above their weight.

They have also won the toss which has been very vital in this World Cup. But Australia’s assistant coach and the former captain Ricky Ponting thinks that Eoin Morgan-led England will defy all the odds to win the World Cup on Sunday. Rather the records are against the home team at the moment. The team sitting in the away dressing room has always won the World Cup final at Lord’s and England have lost all three finals before while chasing itself.

But Ponting is not bothered about it and is backing the 1992 WC finalists to go all the way this time in front of their home crowd.

They’d be exceptionally hard to beat

“I think England will win. I said before the tournament started that I thought they’d be exceptionally hard to beat,” he was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. Interestingly, Ricky Ponting was the one to tout England as the favourites and has maintained his stance even now despite New Zealand being capable of toppling the best teams in the business.

“I had them as the favourites coming in, nothing changes now. New Zealand have done amazingly well to get into the final and well done to them,” the 44-year-old further stated.

As far as the match is concerned, New Zealand have recovered from a slow start and are looking really good in the middle with Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls batting well. The duo has brought up a half-century partnership and the scoring rate has also improved significantly.