The T20 World Cup 2026 is just a month away, and the teams participating are expected to announce their respective 15-member squads during the next week. As the largest T20 tournament gathers momentum, the teams are working hard to ensure their players are fit to play.
A month away from the T20 World Cup tournament and no team wants to lose its key players. Unfortunately, a number of players are racing against time to get fit and make it to the squad, this article will introduce those cricketers.
- Tim David
Tim David is the latest addition to the list of players with injuries. The explosive Australian batter, who was at his best in the 2025 season, is the victim of a hamstring injury. He hurt himself during the Big Bash League (BBL) match on Friday, December 26, between Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers.
In terms of the latest news, David has been declared out for the whole BBL, and the most recent medical report says that the right-handed batter has a Grade 2 strain that will require four to eight weeks for him to recuperate from the injury.
- Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada, one of South Africa’s best fast bowlers, is under pressure to show his fitness to the World Cup selectors. The 30-year-old paceman is off the field receiving treatment for a rib injury and has not played the first two matches for MI Cape Town in SA20 either.
The South Africans are concerned about the injury becoming worse or taking longer than anticipated to heal. As a result, the right-arm pace bowler is in a race against time to be fit for T20 World Cup 2026.
- Josh Hazlewood
Another Australian on the list is Josh Hazlewood. The right-arm pacer suffered a hamstring injury before the Ashes and was ruled out for the first half of the tournament. However, he had to go through another injury setback and reported a sore Achilles, which led to him being ruled out of the entire Ashes series.
Hazlewood has always been linked to injuries, and now he is under serious pressure to recover in time for the T20 World Cup 2026.
- Jofra Archer
Jofra Archer has also faced a long list of injuries and consequently has been out of the game for the most part in the last couple of years. The right-arm fast bowler was completely recovered just before the Ashes and was already pumping up the heat when he sustained such a severe injury.
Just before the Boxing Day Test, the England Cricket Board made an announcement saying that the right-arm pacer has been ruled out of the Ashes series completely due to a side strain. The board did not elaborate on the injury, which is the reason there is no certainty whether Archer will be able to play the World Cup or not.
- Matt Henry
One key New Zealand bowler, who is among the top wicket-takers in T20Is in 2025, picked up a calf injury in the first Test against West Indies, which has, unfortunately, spoilt his whole month. Since then, there have been no updates on Henry’s condition and losing their premier bowler because of injury is something Kiwis can’t afford.
