Pat Cummins to Miss Opening Matches of T20 World Cup; Hazlewood and David Expected to Play

Australia's pace spearhead Pat Cummins will miss the opening matches of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 due to a lumbar bone stress injury and recent back issues. Chief selector George Bailey confirmed Cummins will join the squad after the second group match against Zimbabwe on February 13. Fellow pacer Josh Hazlewood, recovering from hamstring and Achilles injuries, is expected to be fit for the tournament opener. Tim David, despite a minor hamstring setback, is also likely to start. Australia has rested key players from the preceding T20I series against Pakistan to manage workloads ahead of the tournament.