Australia has officially announced its 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, but the news comes with a major disappointment for fans. Star fast bowler Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the entire tournament.
Cummins has been unable to recover from a persistent back injury, leaving a significant gap in the team’s bowling attack.
With Cummins unavailable, Mitchell Marsh will captain the 2021 champions as they head to India and Sri Lanka for the event, which runs from February 7 to March 8. In addition to Cummins’ absence, top-order batter Matthew Short also missed out on the final selection.
To fill these gaps, selectors have drafted in Ben Dwarshuis and Matthew Renshaw. Selector Tony Dodemaide explained that Dwarshuis provides a valuable left-arm pace option and “clever variations” that will suit the subcontinental pitches.
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Meanwhile, Renshaw has been brought in for his versatility and strong recent form across all formats. Dodemaide noted that Renshaw offers crucial middle-order support, especially while Tim David completes his fitness program during the early stages of the tournament.
Australia finds itself in Group B for the opening round. They will compete against:
- Sri Lanka
- Ireland
- Zimbabwe
- Oman
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The team’s campaign kicks off on February 11 against Ireland at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. While the loss of Cummins is a setback, the inclusion of fresh talent like Dwarshuis and the experienced leadership of Marsh suggests Australia remains a formidable contender.
Australia squad for T20 World Cup 2026:
Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa