Josh Hazlewood Injury Update: The Australian team has suffered a major setback ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will not be traveling with the team to Sri Lanka for the initial matches of the tournament as he is still recovering from his injury and will therefore have to remain in Australia for some more time.
Josh Hazlewood Injury Update
Australian national selector Tony Dodemaide provided this information on Monday. He stated that Hazlewood will complete his rehabilitation program in Sydney. The team management believes that his recovery will be better and safer in his home environment.
The T20 World Cup 2026 will commence on February 7, and Australia will play its first four matches in Colombo and Pallekele, Sri Lanka. The team’s first match will be against Ireland on February 11. However, it is not yet clear at what stage of the tournament Hazlewood will be able to join the team.
It is also worth noting that Hazlewood had already been ruled out of the 2025-26 Ashes series due to a serious Achilles problem, which worsened during rehabilitation after a previous hamstring injury.
Australia Team Changes, New Players Added
While Hazlewood is away from the team, there is also some good news. Nathan Ellis, Tim David, and Glenn Maxwell have arrived in Colombo. These three players will join the Australian team on Tuesday. These players arrived in Sri Lanka directly after the Pakistan tour.
Another major blow for the team came when captain Pat Cummins was ruled out of the entire tournament. He has been suffering from a long-standing back problem. Ben Dwarshuis has been included in the 15-member squad in his place.
In addition, Sean Abbott has been included as a traveling reserve. Tony Dodemaide said that Nathan Ellis has also recently returned from injury, so it was necessary to take Abbott along as a precaution. If a fast bowler faces any last-minute issues, Abbott will be readily available as a replacement.
Dodemaide praised Abbott, saying he is an experienced and reliable player who has played in several major tournaments. Keeping him with the team after the Pakistan tour seemed like the right decision.
The T20 World Cup will be played across various venues in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Australia’s group includes Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Oman, and Ireland. All eyes will now be on how Australia performs in this major tournament while dealing with injury concerns.
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