Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has noted that Australia is on brink of elimination in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. After registering a comprehensive 67-run win against Ireland in their opening game of the tournament, Australia was stunned by Zimbabwe in their second game.
Mitchell Marsh’s team then suffered an eight-wicket loss against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele on Monday. With only a solitary win in three games, Australia are staring down the barrel of a gun.
If Zimbabwe goes on to beat Ireland on Tuesday, Australia’s elimination will be confirmed.
“Australia’s tata bye-bye is about to happen. They are waiting for kudrat ka nizam. That was our neighbor’s job, but New Zealand’s neighbors are doing that job now, because they lost to Zimbabwe and have lost to Sri Lanka. If Zimbabwe beat Ireland this afternoon, they (Australia) will play the last match only for formality against Oman,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“You have won only one match. You can reach only four points. You can’t even reach six. Your last match is against Oman for sure, but Zimbabwe are already sitting on four points and Sri Lanka have already qualified with six points. If Zimbabwe beat Ireland in Pallekele, that’s it. They will reach six points and Australia can’t reach six points,” he observed.
Meanwhile, Chopra highlighted that Australia’s fast bowling battery is weak without the services of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. While Starc has announced his T20I retirement, Hazlewood and Cummins are not fit.
“I have never seen an Australian bowling attack weaker than this in any World Cup. It is weak in capital letters because that trio of fast bowlers, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, all three are not there. Starc has retired and the other two are injured,” he said.
The former Delhi cricketer said Australia doesn’t have a potent spin attack in the ongoing T20I showpiece.
“Whether it’s Xavier Bartlett, Sean Abbott or Nathan Ellis, who is decent, but it’s a massive difference. If we talk about spinners, Adam Zampa is decent, but who is the other – Matthew Kuhnemann, Cooper Connolly or Glenn Maxwell – not good enough,” Chopra observed.
Australia will next take on Oman at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, on Friday.
