Cricket Australia handed major blow as Pat Cummins is ruled out of ICC T20 World Cup

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Cricket Australia have been forced into a late squad rethink ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup.

Cricket Australia have confirmed Pat Cummins will not be part of Australia’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup after failing to recover from a back injury.

The fast bowler had been named in the provisional group but has now been officially withdrawn from the tournament. The decision leads directly into changes that reshape Australia’s final squad selection.

Pat Cummins ruled out as Australia finalise World Cup squad

Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the ICC T20 World Cup after medical staff determined he required more time to recover from a lingering back issue.

Australia had initially retained him in the provisional squad in the hope he would be available later in the tournament.

With Cummins unavailable, Ben Dwarshuis has been added to the final 15-man squad as his replacement, providing Australia with a left-arm pace option for conditions expected in India and Sri Lanka.

Australia selector Tony Dodemaide explained the decision after the squad announcement, outlining both the fitness concerns around Cummins and the reasoning behind Dwarshuis’s inclusion.

“With Pat needing more time to recover from his back injury, Ben is a ready replacement who offers a left arm pace option as well as dynamic fielding and late order hitting,” Dodemaide said.

The selector added that Dwarshuis’s ability to swing the ball at pace and vary his bowling suited the expected tournament conditions.

Squad changes highlight impact of Cummins absence

Cummins’s withdrawal was not the only adjustment made as Australia finalised their World Cup group. Matthew Short was also omitted from the provisional squad, with Matt Renshaw brought into the 15-man selection.

Dodemaide said Renshaw’s recent form across formats and his flexibility within the batting order influenced the decision, particularly with spin-heavy conditions expected during the pool stages.

Josh Hazlewood and Tim David were both cleared to return after injury concerns, strengthening Australia’s bowling and middle-order depth despite the loss of Cummins.

Australia will begin their ICC T20 World Cup campaign in February, with Mitchell Marsh captaining a squad adjusted late in the build-up following Cummins’s enforced absence.