Australia has strategically rested key pacers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, while 3 uncapped players get call-up for the upcoming tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the T20 World Cup with a back injury, with left-armer Ben Dwarshuis named as his replacement.
For a franchise that has waited for nearly two decades for an IPL crown, could this be the year when Punjab Kings finally create IPL history?
Injury-hit Australia can still contend at World Cup, says Ellis
Punjab Kings's downfall has been driven by poor fielding, repeated dropped catches, inconsistent bowling and the continued backing of out-of-form middle-order batters such as Shashank Singh and Nehal Wadhera, both of whom have struggled with both bat and fielding standards.
Injury-hit Australia are considering including veteran Steve Smith to strengthen their batting line-up for the crucial T20 World Cup Group B match against Sri Lanka. Australia needs to win to secure a spot in the Super Eights after a defeat to Zimbabwe.
All-rounder Max Maxwell, who has been sidelined by a wrist injury, will come in for the last three games, while Test certainty Josh Hazlewood will skip the last three games.
Half-centuries from skipper Axar Patel and David Miller powered Delhi Capitals to a thrilling three-wicket win over Punjab Kings and kept their slim playoff hopes alive in the Indian Premier League on Monday.
Australia's title bid will be tested by injuries and Asian conditions at the T20 World Cup.
Opener Brian Bennett smashed a half-century and pacer Blessing Muzarabani bagged four wickets as Zimbabwe caused the biggest upset of the T20 World Cup, outclassing Australia by 23 runs.
Australia arrive in Pakistan for three-match T20I series ahead of T20 World Cup
Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the T20 World Cup after "running out of time" to recover from a hamstring injury.
Uncapped Australian fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis was on Monday named as Chris Woakes' replacement in the Delhi Capitals squad for the second leg of IPL, to be held in UAE from September 19.
Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Glenn Maxwell and hTim David will also be rested from the three-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting on January 29.
India clinched the five-match T20I series against Australia 2-1 after the fifth and final game was abandoned due to rain, in Brisbane, on Saturday.
Josh Hazlewood will not travel for Australia's early T20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka as he continues injury rehabilitation in Sydney.
Pak cricket fraternity questions seriousness of touring teams after depleted Aussies lose 1st T20I
Australia, despite missing key pacers, are overwhelming favorites against Ireland in their T20 World Cup opener.
Australia will aim to salvage pride against Oman in their final T20 World Cup match after a disappointing campaign marked by injuries and poor form.
A fine half-century from Babar Azam and a three-wicket haul by pacer Sean Abbott helped Sydney Sixers seal a six-wicket win over Melbourne Renegades during their Big Bash League (BBL) New Year's clash on Thursday.
Mitch Owen has been rewarded for his fine form in his first five Twenty20 internationals by being named in both of Australia's squads for short-format series against South Africa in the far north of the country next month.
Australia, dealing with injury concerns surrounding captain Mitchell Marsh, will face a potentially tricky Zimbabwe side in their upcoming T20 World Cup Group B match. The Aussies are aiming for a Super Eights spot, but Zimbabwe's bowling attack and experienced players could pose a challenge.
Australia host the next T20 World Cup in 2028 but will be eyeing a bigger prize a few months before that when cricket is reintroduced to the Olympics in LA.
The Aussies also named a 14-player group for the first two T20I matches against India, with Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis earning recalls after they missed the recent T20I series with South Africa.
Australia pace spearhead Pat Cummins says his injury-forced withdrawal from the T20 World Cup was also driven by a desire to be completely fit for the upcoming Test season.
India will look to overcome batting inconsistencies and finish the tour of Australia with authority when the two sides clash in the fifth and final T20 International in Brisbane on Saturday.
All-rounder Cameron Green will miss the three-match ODI series against India due to side soreness.
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title. The 10th edition of the 20-overs global showpiece event will run from February 7 to March 8.
Spinner Matthew Kuhnemann hopes Australia's bowlers will curb the fireworks from India's batting star Abhishek Sharma in the fourth T20I on Thursday.
Australia return home for a limited-overs series against South Africa, while the West Indies play Pakistan in three T20Is and three one-day internationals.
Mitchell Owen made an impressive debut as Australia beat West Indies by three wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.
Australia's historic pedigree in cricket's biggest tournaments will count for nothing when they run into an Afghanistan side that is fast cementing its place in the game's top table in the Champions Trophy match in Lahore on Friday.
Starc's withdrawal comes after pace stalwarts Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were ruled out due to injuries.
Tim David, Dwarshuis shine as Australia beat Proteas by 17 runs in T20 series opener
A versatile and dynamic Australian unit, without key pacer Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who is likely to miss the early stages of the tournament, will be going into the T20 World Cup with hopes of going deep in the tournament.
Shubman Gill's form in the series is a concern for India as he has now gone six games without a half-century.
Australia captain Mitch Marsh says the team is confident of their young bowlers performing at the T20 World Cup and that the team has taken lessons from their T20I series loss in Pakistan last month.
IMAGES from the fourth T20I between Australia and India played in Carrara, Gold Coast on Thursday
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj produced a career-best 5-33 to dismantle Australia and bowl South Africa to an emphatic 98-run victory in the opening one day international in Cairns on Tuesday.
Alex Carey's jaw-dropping catch, which led to Phil Salt's dismissal. Was this the catch of the tournament?
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances