New Delhi [India], February 2 (ANI): A versatile and dynamic Australian unit, without key pacer Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who is likely to miss the early stages of the tournament, will be going into the T20 World Cup with hopes of going deep in the tournament. Despite recent setbacks against defending champions India at home and Pakistan in Asian conditions, the Aussies will be counting on stars like skipper Mitchell Marsh, Adam Zampa, Tim David, and Nathan Ellis to continue their fine form.

In the previous edition, held in the West Indies and the USA, Australia was eliminated in the Super Eight stage. The current squad is a healthy mix of youth and experience. Even the younger/fringe players within the side have more than enough T20 experience under their belt to lock horns against some of the world's best. Young talents like Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, and Cam Green, and fringe stars like Matthew Kuhnemann and Nathan Ellis, will be in the spotlight, with Cummins ruled out of the tournament and Hazlewood likely to miss the early stages due to an Achilles injury. The retirements of David Warner (from international cricket) and Mitchell Starc (from T20Is) have removed significant experience and big-match pedigree from the side.

-Team record after 2024 T20 World Cup

Since their Super Eight exit in the 2024 edition, Australia have played 27 T20Is, winning 17, losing seven and three matches ending in a no result.

Coming to the series-wise breakdown, they have been largely exceptional at home, except for the series against India and away from home, the recent series loss to Pakistan is the only blot on their resume. In all, they have played eight bilateral series since the last WC, winning five, drawing one and losing two.

Here is a series-wise breakdown of Australia's results after the T20 World Cup 2024: Beat Scotland 3-0 in their territory (September 2024), a series draw of 1-1 against England in England (September 2024), a 3-0 series win against Pakistan at home (November 2024), a thumping 5-0 win over West Indies in Carribbean (July 2025), a well-fought 2-1 win over South Africa at home (August 2025) and 2-0 (with one no result) win over New Zealand at home (October 2025), a 1-2 loss (two no results) at home against India (October-November 2025) and 0-3 loss to Pakistan away from home (January-February 2026).

-Top performers for Australia after the T20 World Cup 2024:

*Mitchell Marsh: 545 runs in 22 matches, 19 innings at an average of 32.00, SR of 159-plus with a century and two fifties. This becomes even better when combined with his form for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League (BBL), where he scored 360 runs in 12 innings at an average of 30.00 and a strike rate of 132.35, with a century and fifty.

*Cameron Green: 475 runs in 16 matches, 15 innings at an average of 43.18 and a SR of 148.43, with four fifties and eight wickets at an average of 19.37, best figures of 3/35.

*Tim David: 473 runs in 22 matches and 17 innings at an average of 36.38, SR of over 185.49, with a century and three fifties.

*Adam Zampa: 34 scalps in 24 matches at an average of 19.08 and a four-fer.

*Nathan Ellis: 22 scalps in 15 matches at an average of 18.36 with 3/9 as best figures.

*Xavier Bartlett: 20 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 21.05 and best figures of 3/13.

-Positives for Australia:

*Form of Marsh, Green and David: Skipper Marsh looks in sensational touch and, along with Travis Head, could deliver destructive starts in the powerplay. Cameron Green now boasts of a healthy mix of power game and consistency, especially at number four, where he averages 57.83 and strikes at 162.14 in nine innings. All of his fifties have come at this spot. Also, David, a death-overs specialist capable of delivering spicy finishes, has a newfound maturity after being promoted up the order at fourth/fifth spot numerous times. Those muscles no longer hit just sixes, but get some much-needed rest with David developing his ability to build an innings.

*A promising pace attack without Cummins, Hazlewood: Cummins is ruled out of the T20 WC while Hazlewood is undergoing rehab for achilies issue. They can take their entire team as pacers. Ellis, Bartlett, and an experienced Marcus Stoinis (10 wickets in 17 matches at 31.7 since the last T20 WC) can dominate any batting attack. Stunning bowling averages of Ellis and Bartlett show how well they have pulled off the job of containing runs in T20Is. Abbott, the side's fourth-highest wicket-taker since the last WC with 19 scalps in 14 innings at an average of 24, is a reserve option.

*A strong spin attack: Conditions in India and Sri Lanka are spin-friendly, and on their day, spinners can win matches single-handedly. Australia has plenty of spin-bowling options in Adam Zampa, Glenn Maxwell, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head, and Matthew Kuhnemann, with three of them offering batting strength as well.

*All-round depth: Australia has strong all-round depth, with Green, Maxwell, Stoinis, and Connolly as pure all-rounders. Besides this, Ben Dwarshius (pacer) is also capable of delivering some fireworks with the bat, averaging almost 19 and striking at 140 in T20Is. Head can deliver useful overs of spin, having often been the golden arm for his side in recent times. Australia have got all bases covered.

*Fiery batting strike rate: Among Test-playing nations since the last T20WC, they have the third-best strike rate as a team with 148.78, next to England (153.99) and India (156.03). The collective SR of their top seven batters (154.97) is also the third-best, behind India (158.21) and England (158.7).

-Negatives for Australia:

*Cummins, Hazlewood injuries: With Cummins sitting out, Australia is missing a brilliant tactician and a mentality monster. Having vowed to silence the Ahmedabad crowd before the 50-over final against an unbeaten India in 2023, Cummins lived upto with his word, be it with his own bowling, field placements and bowling rotation. Marsh would definitely miss Cummins' presence as a sounding board, as a veteran to exchange ideas with. Hazlewood will also miss the early stages of the tournament, and there is no clear timeline for his return. A bowler relying on his set line and length is a crucial asset in T20Is, and Aussies will be missing one of their most relentless bowlers.

-Poor records in the last two series: A poor series against India at home and an absolute surrender to spin in Pakistan do not serve as good signs. But again, as it is jokingly said, it could be just Australia trying to trick the world that they are down and out before they bring their absolute A game during the World Cup.

-No back-up keeper: Inglis is the only specialist wicketkeeper in the squad. The squad misses a backup specialist wicketkeeping option.

2026 ICC Men's T20 World CupAustralia squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserve: Sean Abbott. (ANI)