Australia's preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka have suffered a significant setback with the news that star batter Tim David has been ruled out of the remainder of the Big Bash League (BBL) season due to a hamstring injury. The extent of the blow was confirmed after scans revealed a grade two strain in his right hamstring, sustained while playing for the Hobart Hurricanes.
David's absence is a major concern for the national side, given his explosive hitting ability and impressive strike rate of 168.88 on the international stage. The 29-year-old showcased his talent in a recent BBL match against the Perth Scorchers, scoring a rapid 42 off 28 balls before the injury forced him to retire hurt.
Despite the setback, there is optimism that David will recover in time for the T20 World Cup, which commences on February 7. The Hobart Hurricanes released a statement expressing confidence that his rehabilitation timeline would allow him to be available for selection. Head coach Andrew McDonald also suggested David should be fit for the tournament.
"David's rehabilitation timeline has him tracking to be available for selection for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup," the Hobart Hurricanes stated.
Australia, drawn in Group B alongside co-hosts Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Oman, will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on February 11 at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
The injury to David adds to Australia's concerns, with pace bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood also managing injury issues. Cummins is recovering from a back injury and will undergo further scans in four weeks to determine his availability. Hazlewood, who has been troubled by a hamstring injury and Achilles soreness, has resumed running and is expected to be fit for the World Cup.
"Pat will have a scan, I think in another four weeks, so that'll give us the information then on where he's at for the (T20) World Cup," McDonald said. "He'll be named in the squad of 15, and then we'll get that information as to where he's at".
McDonald also commented on Hazlewood's progress, "Josh is returning to bowl. He looks as though he should be right in terms of possible timeframes".
Australia will be aiming to improve on their performance in the most recent edition of the T20 World Cup in 2024, where they were eliminated in the Super Eight stage after losses to Afghanistan and India. Australia won their maiden T20 World Cup title in 2021. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Eight stage, which will then be split into two groups of four teams. The top two from each Super Eight group will then qualify for the semi-finals.
