Josh Hazlewood has officially been ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026 as of February 6, 2026. Cricket Australia made the sad announcement this morning. There was a tiny hope he might recover in time for the later rounds like the Super Eights. But no – his rehab just hasn’t moved fast enough.
What Went Wrong with the Injury?
Josh Hazlewood has been fighting a nagging Achilles problem. It got worse while he was already working his way back from a hamstring strain. National selector Tony Dodemaide explained it clearly: rushing him now would be “too much of a risk.” They don’t want to make things worse or see him break down again. So, his World Cup dream is over before it even started.
This hurts Australia badly. Pat Cummins is already sidelined with a back issue. Mitchell Starc walked away from T20Is after retirement. For the first time since 2011, Australia heads into a World Cup without any of their famous “Big Three” fast bowlers. That’s a huge gap in experience and fire-power.
How Australia’s Pace Attack Looks Now
The tournament starts tomorrow (February 7), and Australia’s opening game is against Ireland on February 11. Here’s the current pace picture:
| Player | Status |
|---|---|
| Sean Abbott | Added as the main replacement from reserves |
| Xavier Bartlett | Fully fit and set to lead the attack |
| Ben Dwarshuis | In the squad as a specialist quick |
| Nathan Ellis | Still recovering from hamstring, traveling with team |
The team hasn’t named a direct replacement for Josh Hazlewood’s spot yet. They want to watch the first few games and see what the team really needs.
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It’s a tough pill to swallow for the Aussies. They were counting on Hazlewood’s swing, bounce, and big-game mentality. Now the younger quicks have to step up in a hurry.
What do you reckon? Can Australia still go deep without their star pacers? Drop your thoughts below – let’s chat about it!
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