Australia could include veteran fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in the potential 15-man squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. An ICC report suggests they could return for the tournament. Pat Cummins recently returned to action in the Adelaide Test of the Ashes. However, he has been ruled out of the remaining matches of the series due to safety concerns. Cummins will undergo a second scan in four weeks, and his results will determine whether he will be able to play in the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on February 7th.
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood poised to return to T20I squad for the T20 World Cup 2026
Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the entire Ashes series due to hamstring and heel injuries. Hazlewood had previously performed brilliantly in the white-ball series against India. McDonald said, “A decision on Pat’s status in the squad will be made only after he undergoes scans. He will be named in the squad, and then his fitness will be confirmed. Josh is returning to bowling and is likely to be fit in time.”
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Another concern for the Australian team is middle-order batsman Tim David. He recently suffered a hamstring injury while playing for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL. David was also out for two months last year due to a similar injury.
However, McDonald believes David will be fit in time to play in the T20 World Cup. Scans revealed a grade 2 hamstring strain, which ruled him out of the remainder of the BBL, but his recovery is progressing well.
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When will Australia play their first match in the tournament?
Australia will begin their campaign for the T20 World Cup 2026 against Ireland on February 11. Prior to that, the team will play a three-match T20I series in Pakistan in January to help players prepare for the big tournament.