Josh Hazlewood Out of T20 World Cup 2026 With Achilles Injury

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-02-05

Australia's defense of their T20 World Cup title just hit a major snag. Star fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out with an Achilles injury, a huge blow just five days before their opening match against Ireland. At 35, he joins fellow pace ace Pat Cummins on the sidelines, leaving the defending champions looking a little thin in their bowling attack. Cricket Australia made it official on Thursday. They confirmed the veteran won't recover in time for the tournament, which kicks off next week in Sri Lanka. The selectors are playing it smart, though. They haven't named a replacement yet, keeping their options open to see how the squad shapes up as the games get going. ### A Massive Blow After a Stellar Year Losing Hazlewood hurts more because of the incredible form he was in. 2025 was his year in T20 cricket. He was on fire, taking 12 wickets at an average of 16.58 and keeping things tight with an economy rate of 7.37 against top teams like South Africa, New Zealand, and India. His real magic happened in the powerplay. He snagged eight wickets in those first six overs, going for just 6.72 runs per over. Think about performances like his 3/27 against South Africa in Darwin or that stunning 3/13 against India at the MCG. He even played a key role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first-ever IPL win. Captain Mitchell Marsh put it simply: "Josh was in the form of his life. Losing him is a huge blow." ### An Injury-Riddled Season Comes to a Head It's been a tough run for the quick. His 2025-26 season has been a story of one injury after another. A hamstring strain in the Sheffield Shield kept him out of the early Ashes Tests. Then, just as he was trying to come back, those recurring Achilles problems flared up again, ending his Ashes hopes for good. There was some hope in January that he was on track. But when the team flew to Colombo, Hazlewood stayed behind in Sydney to keep rehabbing. The latest medical check confirmed the bad news—he's just not match-fit. Selector Tony Dodemaide explained, "We were hopeful he'd be back by the Super 8 stage, but pushing him faster is too risky." ### Australia's Injury List is Growing Hazlewood's exit adds to a worrying list for the Aussies. Here's the current injury rundown: - Pat Cummins is already ruled out. - Spinner Adam Zampa had groin tightness but is now cleared to play. - All-rounders Nathan Ellis and Tim David are getting over hamstring issues but should be ready for the group stage. The problem was clear in their warm-up game against the Netherlands, where they could only field 11 fully fit players. Sean Abbott is waiting in the wings as the most likely replacement if the selectors decide they need to call someone up. ### The End of an Era? This moment feels bigger than just one player being out. Think about it. The 2026 T20 World Cup will be the first ICC tournament since 2009 that won't feature *any* of the old guard—Hazlewood, Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith, or David Warner. That's the core group that carried Australian cricket for over a decade. Former captain Ricky Ponting summed up the feeling: "These guys have been the pillars for so long. Now we'll see how the next generation handles a World Cup without that safety net." ### Can Australia Still Win? Even with the injuries, you can't count the Aussies out. They're still one of the favorites. Mitchell Marsh is leading a batting lineup that has firepower in Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell, plus exciting new talent like Jake Fraser-McGurk. The bowling might be depleted, but they still have quality in Ellis, Abbott, and Zampa. The big question is who will step up to fill Hazlewood's shoes, especially with the new ball. Marsh is staying positive: "The beauty of T20 is it's a team game. Losing Josh and Pat hurts, but we've got quality players ready. The belief hasn't changed." All eyes will be on Colombo on February 11th when Australia faces Ireland. The cricketing world is watching to see how the champions handle this wave of bad luck. For Hazlewood, the focus now shifts entirely to getting his body right. At 35, with these soft-tissue problems popping up, a full and careful recovery is the only priority.