The provisional 15-member squad includes the pace trio Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and middle-order batter Tim David, despite lingering injury concerns.
Australia's Mitchell Marsh walks off the field after his dismissal during the third ODI cricket match between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, on Saturday, October 25, 2025. (Photo: IANS)
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Mitchell Marsh will lead Australia at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, with the selectors naming a provisional 15-member squad that includes pace trio Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and middle-order batter Tim David, despite lingering injury concerns. Cricket Australia announced their 15-man provisional squad on January 1.
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The T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka February 7 to March 8, 2026.
Cummins suffered a lumbar stress injury in July while featuring in the third Test in Adelaide and has played only one international match since. A scan on the pacer’s back later this month will determine his availability for the tournament.
Hazlewood missed the entire Ashes series due to hamstring and Achilles issues, while David sustained a hamstring injury while playing for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League (BBL). However, the selectors remain confident both players will recover in time for the tournament.
“The T20 side has enjoyed a long run of recent success, which enabled the panel to choose a balanced group of players across the variety of conditions Sri Lanka and India may present,” chief selector George Bailey said.
“Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are tracking well, and we are confident they will be available for the World Cup. This is a preliminary squad, so should changes need to be made, they will be ahead of the support period,” he added.
Spin-heavy squad, notable omissions
Australia have opted for a spin-heavy combination, with Adam Zampa joined by Matthew Kuhnemann, Cooper Connolly, and all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Short. Mitchell Owen is the most notable omission from the squad.
Both Cameron Green and Connolly, who missed Australia’s T20I series against India earlier in the summer, return to the squad.
For the first time in several major tournaments, Australia has not included a left-arm fast bowler. Mitchell Starc, who retired from T20 internationals in September 2025 to focus on Test cricket and the 2027 ODI World Cup, was not considered. Spencer Johnson was ruled out due to a stress fracture sustained during the 2025 IPL, while Xavier Bartlett was preferred over Ben Dwarshuis, who will remain on standby as a fitness cover.
Australia’s T20I squad for the upcoming series against Pakistan is yet to be announced and will be named later, Bailey confirmed. The three-match series will be played in late January 2026, serving as preparation for the World Cup, which begins in February.
Australia has been placed in Group B, alongside Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. They will play their group-stage matches in Sri Lanka, beginning their campaign against Ireland on February 11 in Colombo.
Australia squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
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