Hazlewood's Exit: Australia Sweats Over T20 World Cup Squad

Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026 due to a hamstring injury, just days before Australia's opening match against Ireland. This is a major blow to the Australian team, which has already lost Pat Cummins to a back injury. He took 12 wickets at 16.58 with an economy rate of 7.37 in 2025. But his powerplay numbers were even better taking eight wickets at an economy rate of 6.72. He tore through South Africa in Darwin and India in Melbourne with figures of 3 for 27 and 3 for 13 respectively from four overs. He then turned his attention to the T20 World Cup and told in January that "everything was going to plan" to be ready. But he did not fly with the rest of his team-mates to Colombo earlier this week with CA saying he was going to continue his build-up at home in Sydney with a view to joining up later. Australia's selector Tony Dodemaide said they're not naming a replacement for Josh Hazlewood immediately, hoping to keep options open for later stages of the T20 World Cup. Hazlewood's hamstring injury is taking longer to heal, and rushing his recovery isn't worth the risk. Sean Abbott, a traveling reserve, is a possible option to fill the gap, but the team is prioritizing their initial games and will decide later. None of those three were available to play in the warm-up game against Netherlands in Colombo on Thursday that was washed out without a ball bowled after Australia had listed the only eleven fit players they had available in their squad. Hazlewood's absence means it will be the first time since the 2009 Champions Trophy that Australia has gone to an ICC tournament without one of Hazlewood, Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith or David Warner in their squad. The team is currently assessing their options and will decide on a replacement later, with Sean Abbott, a traveling reserve, being a possible candidate. Australia's squad is now left with limited pace options, having only Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis as fully fit frontline fast bowlers.