We'd like to finish top of the table: Ponting

COLOMBO: Ricky Ponting said Australia were proud of their unbeaten World Cup run, but warned the defending champions were facing their first big challenge against Pakistan on Saturday.

"We are very proud of our record in World Cups, there's no doubt about that," said Ponting of Australia's unbeaten 34-match streak which started after their 10-run defeat against Pakistan at Leeds in 1999.

Since then Australia have won three World Cups, the last two under Ponting, who has yet to lose a match as captain.

"Whether it's World Cups or the Champions Trophy, Australian players get really excited to be part of them. I've been lucky over the years to play in a lot of good teams.

"But tomorrow is another good challenge for us. We don't talk about what's happened in the past as far as how many games we've won or the fact that we haven't lost a game.

"Now it's all about making sure we are prepared for the next game and the next challenge against Pakistan who have played well so far. We are going to make sure that we start to put our print on the tournament."

Australia and Pakistan have already qualified from a Group A which Ponting described as "boring because there is nothing happeining".

"We'd like to finish top of the table which means we want to win the game on Saturday. That's what we are setting out to do, we are setting out to play our best game.

"If we win and that means we finish on top, great; if we don't win the game we will finish somewhere else and I'm not concerned about that either. To win a World Cup you have to beat the best team - it's as simple as that."

Australia have nine points from five matches with Pakistan on eight, also from five matches.

"I think we will be negligent if we try to single one (Pakistan) player out," said Ponting.

"They have got a number of match-winning players... Afridi and Umar Gul are the two guys who've probably been their standout players."

Gul took three wickets in Pakistan's last win over Zimbabwe, while Afridi is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 16.

"Afridi tends to control the middle of their bowling particularly well, he doesn't go for a lot of runs either. He builds pressure and is a world class bowler, so hopefully our skills hold against him," added Ponting.

"As a team we really feel that the tournament is kicking off now. We've had our games along the way and the big game here against Sri Lanka which was washed out unfortunately.We're excited to play against Pakistan.

"I think we will get a better feel at the end of the game just where we are and how well we are placed in this World Cup. I think it's a good challenge for us."