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Ponting was the first of three wickets for Karim
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Super Six, Durban: Australia 178-5 (31.2 overs) beat Kenya 174-8 (50 overs) by 5 wkts
Australia defeated Kenya with 18.4 overs remaining but it was the East Africans who could claim a moral victory after impressing with both bat and ball.
Despite a hat-trick from Brett Lee, Kenya recovered to reach 174-8 in their day-night Super Six match.
And two unheralded bowlers did the damage as the world champions stumbled to a five-wicket win.
Peter Ongondo, opening the bowling in the absence of the rested Thomas Odoyo, doubled his career wicket-haul in a seven-over first spell that brought two for 24.
There was turn in the wicket for me and by the grace of God I did well
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And the introduction of Aasif Karim's left-arm spin brought three wickets in just two overs.
But Andrew Symonds and Ian Harvey steadied nerves with an unbeaten 71-run fifth wicket stand, Symonds finishing marginally ahead on 33 not out.
The bulk of Kenya's runs came from fourth wicket pair Ravindu Shah and Steve Tikolo, who put on 79 runs after coming together with the score 3-3.
Lee began his rout by striking Kennedy Otieno on the elbow, the ball ricocheting onto the stumps as the opener fell to the ground in pain.
Brijal Patel was unable to deal with an inswinger, gaining a thick edge to Ricky Ponting at second slip, and a yorker beat David Obuya's defences next ball.
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WORLD CUP HAT-TRICKS
Chetan Sharma (Ind) v NZ 1987
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak) v Zim 1999
Chaminda Vaas (SL) v Ban 2003
Brett Lee (Aus) v Ken 2003
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X-rays revealed Otieno's arm was not broken but he was unable to keep wicket after sustaining serious swelling.
Standing at the opposite end from the carnage, Shah was undeterred, taking on Glenn McGrath's short-pitched approach in particular in striking six fours.
But the arrival of spin duo Brad Hogg and Darren Lehmann brought the run-rate back in check and achieved the breakthrough.
The 23-over partnership was finally dislodged when Hogg induced a high top-edge from Shah - four short of his half-century - to deep square leg.
Kenya captain Steve Tikolo benefited from two difficult dropped catches from Ponting to reach a 97-ball 50 before becoming Lehmann's first victim, caught in the deep.
Andy Bichel put a poor first spell behind him to take two wickets in the first over on his return.
But his figures were permanently ruined by a Martin Suji six, just over the cover boundary, part of a ninth-wicket stand with Hitesh Modi worth 30 in 6.1 overs.
The cavalier hitting continued as Australia put on 50 runs in the first five overs.
When you're bowling at my kind of pace, there is always
a danger that someone is going to get hurt
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Matthew Hayden was the victim of over-confidence, holing out to midwicket for 20.
But the rest of the wickets were well earned, even that of Adam Gilchrist, who edged Ongondo behind after smashing 67 from 42 balls.
That total included two sixes off a single over from leg-spinner Collins Obuya.
But the cool head of 39-year-old Karim was more successful, having Ponting lbw for 18 with his second ball.
His second over saw Lehmann's edge caught by substute keeper David Obuya, while Karim collected a return catch off Brad Hogg's third ball.
The former captain, who had failed to take a wicket in this tournament before tonight, finished with figures of three for seven off 8.2 overs.
Damien Martyn was kept in reserve as Ponting allowed his lower order some time at the crease, but only Symonds and Harvey enjoyed their time in the middle.
Australia: Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden,
Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Andrew Symonds, Ian Harvey, Brad
Hogg, Andrew Bichel, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath
Kenya: Steve Tikolo (capt), Kennedy Otieno, Ravindu Shah, Brijal
Patel, Hitesh Modi, David Obuya, Collins Obuya, Tony Suji, Martin
Suji, Peter Ongondo, Asif Karim.
Umpires: Billy Bowden (NZ) and Steve Bucknor (WI)
TV umpire: Asoka De Silva (SL)
Match referee: Mike Procter (RSA)
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