Clarke replaces Ponting as Australia T20 skipper

Sydney:

Michael Clarke has been appointed captain of Australia's Twenty20 team in a widely expected move following the retirement of Ricky Ponting from the shortest form of international cricket.

The 28-year-old Clarke has led Australia on an interim basis in Ponting's Twenty20 absence, including after the recent Ashes Test series loss in England.

"I'm really excited to lead Australia in the newest form of the game," Clarke said in a statement Friday. "We've got a young and enthusiastic group but we must recognize that we've got a lot of work to do in Twenty20 cricket and our recent form hasn't been good.

"Naturally, we'll target the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean next year and I feel we have plenty of talent to genuinely mount a challenge in that tournament."

Ponting quit Twenty20 last month in a bid to prolong his international career in test and one-day cricket, and subsequently led Australia in a successful title defense at the Champions Trophy in South Africa.