Josh Hazlewood will miss the T20 World Cup, and with the tournament starting in just five days Australia have chosen not to name a substitute straight away.
The right-arm quick, who dominated T20 cricket in 2025—guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the IPL title and then shining in series against South Africa, New Zealand and India—has not bowled competitively since straining a hamstring in the last Sheffield Shield match before the Ashes. Subsequent Achilles trouble left him watching most of that series from the dressing-room balcony.
In January he sounded upbeat, telling reporters that “everything was going to plan” for a World Cup return. Yet he stayed in Sydney this week while the squad flew to Colombo, continuing what Cricket Australia called a “graduated build-up”. That plan has now been shelved.
Selector Tony Dodemaide spelled out the reasoning. “We were hopeful Josh would be back to match fitness by the Super 8 stage but the latest indications he is still some time away and accelerating his program will carry too much risk,” he said. “We will not be naming a replacement player immediately. We feel we are well covered for the initial games so will make any later decisions based on priority need at the time.”
Sean Abbott, travelling as the official reserve after the Pakistan tour, remains the most obvious stand-in. Australia are allowed to draft him in at any point during the tournament.
The bowling stocks have taken other knocks. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa felt groin tightness in the final T20I against Pakistan but is expected to face Ireland on opening night. Nathan Ellis and big-hitting all-rounder Tim David, both nursing hamstring niggles, are said to be “on track” for the group phase. None of the three were risked in Thursday’s warm-up against the Netherlands in Colombo—a match abandoned without a ball bowled after persistent rain left only eleven fit Australian players to choose from.
If Abbott does receive a late call-up, it will complete a notable break with recent history. This will be the first ICC event since the 2009 Champions Trophy at which Australia have entered without at least one of Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith or David Warner in the squad. Cummins had already withdrawn last week with an ongoing wrist complaint, casting a long shadow over the build-up.
Every campaign absorbs a few bruises; this one feels a little heavier than usual. Still, interim captain Mitch Marsh was bullish earlier in the week. “We’ve got guys with experience from all over the world,” he said, pointing to a dressing-room that, on paper at least, remains rich in Twenty20 know-how.
For now Australia will roll with what they’ve got: Starc’s left-arm swing, Zampa’s leg-breaks and Marsh’s belief that a patched-up squad can still launch a proper tilt at the title. A final decision on Hazlewood’s replacement—Abbott or otherwise—can wait until the physios and the fixture list force their hand.
