Australia have announced a provisional 15-player squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, with conditions in India and Sri Lanka clearly shaping the selectors’ thinking.
The side will be led by Mitchell Marsh, who captains a group that welcomes back several senior names. Pat Cummins, Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly all return after missing Australia’s most recent T20 series against India.
The provisional squad features a strong spin and all-round options, reflecting expectations of slower pitches and turning tracks across the subcontinent. Specialist leg-spinner Adam Zampa is supported by Matthew Kuhnemann, Connolly, and spin-capable all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Short.
Australia’s chair of selectors George Bailey said the panel benefited from recent success, allowing them to focus on players best suited to conditions in India and Sri Lanka, even as a few squad members manage fitness concerns.
Bailey confirmed that Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are progressing well and are expected to be fit for the tournament. He also stressed that the squad remains provisional and could be adjusted ahead of the final submission deadline.
Notably, Australia have opted against selecting a left-arm fast bowler. Following Mitchell Starc’s retirement from T20 internationals and an injury to Spencer Johnson, the selectors chose right-arm seamer Xavier Bartlett rather than a like-for-like replacement such as Ben Dwarshuis.
Australia are yet to announce a separate squad for the three-match T20 series against Pakistan, which will serve as their final lead-up to the World Cup.
