Tim David for Australia - (Source: CricTailenders/X.com)
The T20 World Cup 2026 is nearly a month away, and all the participating teams are likely to release their 15-member squad in the coming week. Ahead of the biggest T20 tournament, several teams are sweating hard over their players’ fitness.
With just a month left for a tournament like the T20 World Cup, no team likes to lose its key players. However, several players are facing the race against time to get fit to make it to the squad, and this article will shed light on those cricketers.
1. Tim David
Tim David is the latest entrant on the injured list. The star Australian batter, who took the 2025 season by storm, recently suffered a hamstring injury. The injury happened during a Big Bash League (BBL) match between Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers on Friday, December 26.
In the latest events, David has been ruled out of the entire BBL, and the latest medical update is that the right-handed batter has a Grade 2 strain will take four to eight weeks to recover from his injury.
1. Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada, who is one of South Africa’s premier bowlers, is racing against time to prove his fitness to the selectors for the World Cup. The 30-year-old is out of action with a rib injury and has missed the first two games for MI Cape Town in SA20 as well.
The Proteas fear the injury being aggravated or taking longer than expected. Therefore, the right-arm seamer too faces a test of time to be fit in time for the T20 World Cup 2026.
3. Josh Hazlewood
Another Australian in the list is Josh Hazlewood. The right-arm seamer suffered a hamstring injury ahead of the Ashes and was ruled out of the tournament for the first half. However, he dealt with another injury setback and reported a sore Achilles, ruling him out of the entire Ashes.
Hazlewood has a tryst with injuries, and he seriously faces a race against time to be fit for T20 World Cup 2026.
4. Jofra Archer
Jofra Archer also has a long history of injuries and has missed most of the cricketing action in the past couple of years because of injury. The right-arm quick regained full fitness ahead of the Ashes and was bowling with steam, which is when he dealt a massive blow.
Ahead of the Boxing Day Test, the England Cricket Board released a statement stating that the right-arm seamer has been ruled out of the entire Ashes series because of a side strain. The board refused to give extensive details on the injury, which is why there is no clalrity wheather Archer will be available for the World Cup or not.
5. Matt Henry
New Zealand ace, who is one of the leading wicket-takers in T20Is in 2025, suffered a calf injury during New Zealand vs West Indies 1st Test, ruling him out of the entire series. Since then, there has been no update on Henry and the Kiwis can’t afford to lose their premier bowler due to injury.
.jpg?type=mq "Jacob Bethell's India experience")
