What Happened to Josh Hazlewood and Why Is He Missing T20 World Cup 2026?

Australia's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign has suffered a major setback with Josh Hazlewood officially ruled out of the tournament. National selector Tony Dodemaide confirmed that the senior pacer will not recover in time, ending weeks of cautious optimism around his availability for the Super Eights.

What happened to Josh Hazlewood?

Hazlewood's absence is the culmination of a long and frustrating injury cycle. The fast bowler initially suffered a hamstring injury during the final Sheffield Shield match before the Ashes, and his rehabilitation was later complicated by ongoing Achilles issues. While Australia had hoped he could return midway through the World Cup, medical assessments indicated that he remains "some time away" from full match fitness.

Accelerating his rehabilitation

was deemed too risky, with selectors unwilling to jeopardise Hazlewood's long-term fitness. As Dodemaide put it, pushing him back early "will carry too much of a risk. "

What does his recovery timeline look like?

Hazlewood's injuries require careful load management, especially given his history of stress-related issues. The focus now is on a gradual return rather than a rushed comeback during a high-intensity global tournament. This effectively rules him out not just for the group stage, but for the entire World Cup window in India and Sri Lanka.

Australia has also confirmed it will not name a replacement immediately, preferring to reassess once the tournament progresses and squad priorities become clearer.

What does this mean for Australia?

Hazlewood's withdrawal leaves Australia without its preferred pace trio. Pat Cummins was ruled out last week, while Mitchell Starc retired from T20Is last year. That strips the attack of experience, control, and proven big-match pedigree.

For now, the burden falls on Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis as the only fully fit frontline quicks, with Sean Abbott travelling as a reserve option. Nathan Ellis and Tim David are recovering from hamstring issues, while Adam Zampa has been cleared for Australia's opener.

Placed in Group B alongside Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, and Oman, Australia entered the tournament already under pressure after a 3-0 T20I series loss to Pakistan. For the 2021 champions, the margin for error has narrowed considerably. Without Hazlewood's reliability with the new ball and at the death, Australia will need tactical sharpness and a bit of reinvention if they are to stay in the title conversation.