Cummins and Hazlewood named in Oz’s spin-heavy T20 WC squad

Pace duo Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood and middle-order batter Tim David have been named in Australia’s provisional 15-player squad for the T20 World Cup despite injury concerns.

Cummins has played just one international match since suffering a lumbar stress injury in July, when he featured in the Ashes-securing third Ashes Test in Adelaide. A scan on Pacer’s back later this month will determine whether he will be right for the tournament.

Hazlewood missed the entire Ashes series due to hamstring and Achilles injuries. David, meanwhile, injured his hamstring while playing for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL.

“The T20 side has enjoyed a long run of recent success which enabled the panel to choose a balance of players across the variety of conditions Sri Lanka and India may present,” chief selector George Bailey said.

“Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are tracking well, and we are confident they will be available for the World Cup. This is a preliminary squad, so should changes need to be made, they will be ahead of the support period,” he added.

Mitchell Marsh captains the group as Australia named a spin-heavy group, with Adam Zampa joined by Matthew Kuhnemann, Cooper Connolly and all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Short. Mitchell Owen is the most notable omission from the 15-man squad.

Green and Connolly are back in the squad after missing the T20s against India earlier in the summer.

The side also opted against a left-arm fast bowler, in the absence of Mitchell Starc, who retired from the format, and Spencer Johnson’s injury led to the inclusion of right-armer Xavier Bartlett over Ben Dwarshuis.

Australia will play three T20Is in Pakistan in late January as preparation for the World Cup. A squad for the series is yet to be named.

Meanwhile, bitter rivals India and Pakistan have been clubbed together in the same group and will play each other on Feb.15 in Colombo in the T20 World Cup, cricket’s world body announced.

Defending champions India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A in the 20-team competition being co-hosted by Sri Lanka, according to the schedule released by the International Cricket Council in Mumbai.

Asian neighbours headline Group A, which also consists the US, Namibia and the Netherlands. Both Asian giants are expected to advance comfortably, though the USA’s stunning upset over Pakistan in the previous edition serves as a reminder that early complacency could prove costly.

Group B puts co-hosts Sri Lanka in a potentially challenging arrangement with Australia, Ireland, Zimbabwe, and Oman. Australia’s first match is against Ireland, while Zimbabwe’s return to World Cup action begins with a high-profile match against the hosts. Group C, which also includes Bangladesh, first-time qualifiers Italy and Nepal, is led by two-time champions England and the West Indies.

As early as Feb.11 in Mumbai, England will play the West Indies. Italy’s participation, which is their first in the tournament, gives it a historic feel. Group D, which is arguably the hardest of the four, includes Afghanistan, South Africa, and New Zealand, the 2024 semi-finalists. Canada and UAE complete the line-up, but the spotlight will firmly be on the heavyweight clashes, especially South Africa vs Afghanistan and New Zealand vs South Africa, both set for Ahmedabad.

It will be the first time the two teams play each other since their three heated contests at the 2025 Asia Cup in the UAE, where they skipped the customary handshake at the toss and post-match greetings.

The Asia Cup was the first time they had met since deadly border conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May. The T20 World Cup will see Pakistan playing all their matches in Sri Lanka, part of a compromise deal that allows both India and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in multi-nation tournaments.

Matches in the tournament will be held from Feb.7 across five venues in India and three in Sri Lanka. Cricket-mad India, the world’s most populous nation, is the epicentre of the T20 game through its lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL), boasting top global stars.

The tournament will use the same format as 2024 -- 20 teams in four groups, ahead of a Super Eights phase, with the top two finishers from each group making it to the playoffs.

Agencies