Hazlewood Ruled Out of T20 World Cup, Australia Reels after failing to recover in time from hamstring and Achilles injuries. The Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was expected to play in the T20 World Cup 2026, but a last-minute fitness issue forced Cricket Australia to announce his absence. This sudden news is a heavy blow for Australia as they head into the global cricket tournament in India and Sri Lanka.
Hazlewood’s injury adds to Australia’s bowling woes, as Mitchell Starc has retired from T20 cricket and Pat Cummins is also sidelined with a back injury. Selector Tony Dodemaide said they tried to speed up Hazlewood’s fitness, but it was too risky. No immediate replacement has been named, though Nathan Ellis and Tim David are on track for the group stage. Adam Zampa is available for the opening match against Ireland in Colombo.
This marks the first World Cup in over a decade without at least one member of Australia’s champion pace trio. Australia, the 2021 T20 World Cup champions, struggled in their warm-up series in Pakistan with a 3-0 whitewash. Hazlewood’s absence may hurt Australia’s bowling, especially in the Super 8 stage. Experts say the team must rely on depth in pace and spin to navigate this setback.
Despite this, Australia still has a strong squad and experienced players to manage the crisis. Fans will watch closely to see how the team adapts and whether the remaining bowlers can fill Hazlewood’s role. Cricket Australia confirms that player fitness updates will continue throughout the tournament.
