Sydney (Australia): Australia have suffered a major setback ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with pace spearhead Pat Cummins ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury. Cricket Australia confirmed the development while announcing its 15-member squad for the global event, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
Cummins has not fully recovered from his ongoing back issue and will miss the marquee tournament, according to the ICC. His absence is a significant blow to the Australian side, given his experience and leadership in high-pressure tournaments. Top-order batter Matthew Short has also missed out on selection in the original squad.
Mitchell Marsh has been named captain of the Australian team, which won the T20 World Cup in 2021. The selectors have included Ben Dwarshuis and Matthew Renshaw in the squad, backing their versatility and recent form.
The squad features Mitchell Marsh as captain, along with Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa.
Explaining the selection decisions, chairman of selectors Tony Dodemaide said Cummins needed additional time to recover, making way for Dwarshuis, who offers a left-arm pace option, strong fielding and late-order hitting. He added that Dwarshuis’ ability to swing the ball at good pace and use variations would suit the expected conditions in the subcontinent.
Dodemaide also expressed confidence in Renshaw, noting his impressive performances across formats in recent times for Australia, Queensland Bulls and Brisbane Heat. He said Renshaw provides valuable middle-order support, especially with spin-friendly conditions expected during the Sri Lanka leg of the tournament.
Australia have been placed in Group B alongside Ireland, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Oman. The team will begin its T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on February 11 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
