Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif criticized Australia for their unexpected early exit from the T20 World Cup 2026. He pointed to their performances in the last three ICC tournaments, claiming they have declined since their 2023 ODI World Cup win.
Australia was eliminated in the Super Eight stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup, lost in the semi-finals of the 2025 Champions Trophy, and fell short in the final of the 2025 World Test Championship. Kaif used these results to emphasize what he sees as a downward trend in Australia’s recent International performances.
He suggested that all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s presence might have changed the outcome of the 2023 ODI World Cup final against India, arguing that Australia would have faced a tougher match if Pandya had played.
“After winning the 2023 50-overs World Cup, they were called Mighty Aussies. But they have fallen sharply. The 2024 World T20, 2025 Champions Trophy, 2025 World Test Championship – they were not Mighty. If Hardik Pandya had played in the Ahmedabad final in 2023, the Aussies would have lost too,” Kaif posted on X.
Hardik sustained an ankle injury during the 2023 ODI World Cup in a match against Bangladesh, sidelining him for the rest of the tournament. His absence was notably felt, especially in the later stages, as India lacked the balance he offers as a seam-bowling all-rounder.
Australia has had trouble replicating its past success since winning the T20 World Cup in 2021, experiencing several disappointing tournaments, particularly their shocking exit from the current T20 World Cup 2026.
The team began their campaign positively with a solid win against Ireland. However, they unexpectedly lost to Zimbabwe by 23 runs, placing them under pressure. This left them needing a win against Sri Lanka on February 16. Despite a strong batting start, Australia couldn’t finish the game, allowing Sri Lanka to chase down the target easily, led by Pathum Nissanka’s unbeaten century.
The final blow came when the Zimbabwe-Ireland match was abandoned due to rain, confirming Australia’s exit from the tournament. Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe have advanced from Group B to the Super Eight stage. Zimbabwe will now take on West Indies, India, and South Africa in the next round.
