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T20 tournaments should have best-of-three finals: Ponting

Melbourne: Disappointed with Australia's loss in the summit clash of the World Twenty20, Test and ODI captain Ricky Ponting said the finals of such tournaments should be a best-of-three affair.

Australia won every match except for the all-important final in the recent ICC World Twenty20 and Ponting said given the short format, the title should not be decided by just one summit showdown.

“I've always been of the belief in Twenty20 tournaments there should be a best-of-three finals. We know with the game, it can hinge on one over here and there,” Ponting told Fox Sports. “They dominated the competition all the way through. I was disappointed for the boys; no doubt they were the best team right through the tournament but they stumbled at the last hurdle,” he added.

Aussies should be happy

Ponting said despite the crushing loss in the final toEngland, the Aussies should be happy about their campaign. “They should be proud of the way they conducted themselves,” he said.

Newly-appointed T20 captain Michael Clarke has become insecure about his place in the team due to a string of poor performances in the World Cup but Ponting backed him.

“I don't know what he had to say about himself, but everything I've been reading is very positive about him and how he's led the team,” Ponting, who has retired from T20 cricket, said.

“I notice the coach (Tim Nielsen) made some positive comments and every time I have seen Michael in a leadership role he has done exceptionally well. So there are some really good signs there for the future of Australian cricket,” he said. — PTI

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