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The Australian cricket team, which is preparing to win the T20 World Cup title again, has suffered a huge blow just before the start of the tournament. Just a day before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 starting from February 7, experienced fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been completely ruled out of this mega event.

Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins also out

Even before this, the Australian team was forced to enter the tournament without its two big bowling pillars. Mitchell Starc has already announced his retirement from international cricket, while Pat Cummins was recently out of the team due to injury. Now after Hazlewood’s exit, Australia’s entire experienced fast bowling unit will not be seen in this World Cup, which has dealt a big blow to the team’s strategy.

Cricket Australia gave information

Cricket Australia issued an official statement on Friday, 6 February informing about this decision. The board said that Josh Hazlewood has not been able to regain his fitness on time and after the advice of the medical team, the decision has been taken to keep him out of the tournament. In such a situation, he will not be able to participate in this T20 World Cup.

Hazlewood’s exclusion is also a matter of concern for Australia because he is known for his accurate line-length in the T20 format and experience in big matches. In his absence, the team will now have to depend on young and less experienced fast bowlers.

Now the biggest challenge before the team management will be how to maintain balance with the changed bowling combination. Australia’s dream of defending the title seems difficult due to the absence of three senior pacers. Now all eyes will be on how the new bowling unit can handle this pressure.