Australia knocked out of T20 World Cup 2026

Former champions Australia were officially eliminated from the group stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after results elsewhere in Group B ended their chances of progressing to the Super 8 stage.

Their elimination was confirmed when the match between Ireland and Zimbabwe in Pallekele was washed out on Tuesday without a single ball being bowled. With both teams sharing a point each, Zimbabwe’s tally moved to five - a figure Australia can no longer surpass. Even a victory over Oman in their final league fixture would only take Mitch Marsh’s side to a maximum of four points.

Oman had already been knocked out of contention earlier, and the abandoned game also ended Ireland’s hopes of advancing.

Also Read: Australia crash out of T20 World Cup 2026; Former Aussie batsman blames these factors for early exit

Australia’s campaign had taken a major hit a day earlier with a heavy defeat against Sri Lanka in Kandy. After being restricted to 181 all out, the 2021 champions watched as Sri Lanka chased down the target in just 18 overs. Spinner Dushan Hemantha starred with three wickets, while Pathum Nissanka’s blistering unbeaten century powered the co-hosts into the Super 8.

The Australians endured a disappointing tournament overall. They also suffered a 23-run defeat to Zimbabwe, managing just one win - a 67-run triumph over Ireland in their opening match in Colombo.

From Group B, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe have secured qualification for the next phase, while Australia’s campaign ends at the group stage.