T20 World Cup 2026: Australia to conduct forensic review after early tournament exit

Selector Tony Dodemaide; (right) Australia T20 skipper Mitchell Marsh. Pics/Getty Images

Former champions Australia are set to conduct a "forensic review" of their disappointing T20 World Cup campaign after the injury-ravaged team crashed out in the group stage of the ongoing event being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The 2021 champions exited after losing to Sri Lanka and minnows Zimbabwe.

They still have one match remaining against Oman in Pallekele on Friday, but that would be inconsequential. Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka have progressed to the Super Eights as Australia failed to get past the group stage for the first time since 2009. Selector Tony Dodemaide said a full review of the performance would be done once the players are back home.

"It's really disappointing the way the tournament has rolled out," Dodemaide was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. "But we will need some time, and take some time, once we finish our last commitment - it's important that we finish strongly on Friday against Oman - then we'll get back and analyse it fully." The team was without its front-line pace attack after injuries forced Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to skip the tournament, while Mitchell Starc announced his international retirement from the format.

The team then lost captain Mitchell Marsh, also to injury, during the tournament, disturbing its balance to a great extent. An in-form Steve Smith was not picked and could only come in as cover once Hazlewood was declared ruled out just hours before their loss to Zimbabwe. Australia are the co-hosts of the 2028 T20 World Cup along with New Zealand.

"We want to win every World Cup, no matter where it is. Clearly, the next one is at home. We'd love to do well at home. We've got a commitment within 48 hours or so against Oman and we want to finish off really well," Dodemaide said. "We will do the requisite planning to look at 2028; we've got 2027 50-over World Cup in the meantime. All these things will be mapped out when we get time and space, and we can cut out the emotion of it and look at it more forensically."

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