Pat Cummins has been ruled out of Australia's opening fixtures of the T20 World Cup 2026, marking a setback for the team's campaign. The experienced fast bowler is still recovering from a lumbar bone stress injury that he initially sustained prior to the 2025-26 Ashes series.
Cummins' injury woes began before the Ashes, causing him to miss four of the five Test matches. He made a comeback in the third Test at the Adelaide Oval, where he took six wickets in a match-winning performance as Australia defeated England by 82 runs. Despite this successful return, Cummins was subsequently ruled out of the remaining two Ashes fixtures to prioritize his recovery.
Australia's chief selector, George Bailey, confirmed that Cummins is expected to miss the first two T20 World Cup matches. Bailey indicated that Cummins could potentially rejoin the squad around the third or fourth game of the tournament. This decision aims to provide Cummins with ample time to recover fully and minimize the risk of re-injury.
Cummins' absence is a significant blow to Australia's T20 World Cup chances, as he brings considerable expertise and leadership to the team. In addition to missing the World Cup openers, Cummins will also sit out the three-match T20I series against Pakistan, scheduled from January 29 to February 1.
Australia is set to begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on February 11. They are placed in Group B alongside Sri Lanka, Oman, Ireland, and Zimbabwe.
Besides Cummins, other senior players including Glenn Maxwell, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David, and Nathan Ellis have also been rested for the T20I series against Pakistan. Bailey explained that Maxwell and Ellis are being rested to manage their workload, while Hazlewood is recovering from an Achilles injury and David from a shoulder issue.
With several key players missing the Pakistan series, opportunities have opened up for fringe players such as Sean Abbott, Mahli Beardman, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Josh Phillippe, Mitch Owen, and Matt Renshaw.
Australia has named a preliminary squad for the T20 World Cup, with final selections to be made based on player fitness. The deadline for submitting the final squad to the International Cricket Council (ICC) is January 31. Mitchell Marsh will captain the Australian side in the tournament.
