Kamal Ghorui
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will not travel with the national squad for the early part of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with selectors opting to continue his rehabilitation program in Australia rather than rush him into competition in Sri Lanka. National selector Tony Dodemaide confirmed on Monday that Hazlewood will remain in Sydney as the tournament gets underway on February 7.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Australia begin their World Cup campaign on February 11 against Ireland and will play all four of their preliminary group matches in Colombo and Pallekele.
“We felt with Josh it was more practical and beneficial for him to continue his rehabilitation at home in a familiar environment before travelling to Sri Lanka,” Dodemaide said, adding that no specific timeline had been set for Hazlewood’s availability later in the tournament.Hazlewood is recovering from a lingering Achilles issue that surfaced during his rehabilitation from a previous hamstring strain, an injury that also ruled him out of the 2025–26 Ashes series. Australia’s group-stage matches will conclude on February 20, with Oman, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe also in their group.In contrast, there was positive news on the availability front with Nathan Ellis, Tim David and Glenn Maxwell having arrived in Colombo. The trio will link up with the rest of the Australian squad on Tuesday after the team travels from Pakistan. “Nathan, Tim and Glenn have arrived in Colombo and we look forward to meeting up with them,” Dodemaide said.Sean Abbott has been added to the touring party as a travelling reserve, providing fast-bowling cover, particularly with Ellis also working his way back to full fitness. “Sean is an accomplished and versatile international player who has experienced numerous World Cup campaigns,” Dodemaide said. “It made sense for him to stay with the group following the Pakistan tour.”
