The T20 World Cup 2026 is finally underway, bringing together the best cricket teams from around the globe. While the tournament is about hitting big sixes and taking wickets, there is always a difficult side to the game: injuries. Players train very hard to be ready for these big matches, but sometimes, physical problems force them to stop playing. In this edition of the World Cup, several well-known players have had to leave their squads due to various injuries or personal reasons.
Teams have had to act quickly to name replacements. These changes can alter the balance of a squad, as new players come in to fill the shoes of those who are hurt. Below is a detailed look at the players who have been ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026 and the replacements who have stepped up to take their places.
Afghanistan
The Afghanistan team has faced a big loss early in the tournament. Their key fast bowler, Naveen-ul-Haq, has been ruled out. Naveen is known for his clever changes of pace and his ability to bowl in the final overs of an innings. Unfortunately, he suffered a shoulder tear. A shoulder tear is a painful injury for a bowler because the shoulder must rotate fast to deliver the ball. With this injury, it is impossible for him to bowl at his best speed or accuracy.
To fix this gap in the team, Afghanistan has called up Zia-Ur-Rahman Sharifi. Zia-Ur-Rahman is also a bowler and will take Naveen’s spot in the squad. The team management selected him because he stays fit and ready. He will now have the chance to show his skills on the world stage. For Afghanistan, swapping one bowler for another helps keep their strategy the same, even though they will miss Naveen’s experience.
New Zealand
New Zealand has had a tough time with injuries this year. They have lost two important players from their original squad.
First, fast bowler Adam Milne is out of the tournament. Milne is one of the fastest bowlers in the world, but speed puts a lot of stress on the body. He suffered a hamstring pull. The hamstring is the large muscle at the back of the thigh. When a fast bowler runs in to bowl, this muscle works very hard. A pull means the muscle has been stretched too much. It makes running very difficult. To replace him, New Zealand has picked Kyle Jamieson. Jamieson is a very tall bowler who gets a lot of bounce from the pitch. His height makes him a difficult bowler to face, and he brings a different kind of threat compared to Milne.
The second change for New Zealand involves their all-rounder, Michael Bracewell. Bracewell injured his calf muscle. A calf pull is similar to a hamstring pull but happens in the lower leg. It restricts movement and makes quick turning or running between the wickets painful. Cole McConchie has been named as his replacement. McConchie is also an all-rounder, which means he can bat and bowl. This ensures that New Zealand still has the balance they need in their playing eleven.
South Africa
South Africa has also been forced to make changes to their team sheet. They have lost two players who play very different roles.
The first player to leave the squad is batter Tony de Zorzi. He suffered a hamstring tear. A tear is worse than a pull; it means the muscle fibers have actually broken. This injury takes a long time to heal, and a batter cannot run runs or move quickly in the field with a torn hamstring. Ryan Rickelton has come in to replace him. Rickelton is a solid batter who has been waiting for his chance. He will now join the batting group and try to score runs for his country.
The second loss is Donovan Ferreira, an exciting all-rounder. He suffered a clavicle fracture. The clavicle is the collarbone. A fracture here is very painful and makes it impossible to swing a bat or throw a ball. It is a serious injury that needs proper rest. South Africa has replaced him with Tristan Stubbs. Stubbs is a powerful hitter and a very good fielder. He is known for hitting the ball very far, which is exactly what a T20 team needs in the final overs of a game.
India
The Indian team has made a significant change to their bowling lineup. Harshit Rana, a young and promising bowler, has been ruled out due to a knee injury. Knee injuries are very common in cricket because of the hard landing when a bowler jumps to deliver the ball. If the knee is not 100 percent strong, a bowler cannot generate pace.
In his place, the experienced Mohammed Siraj has joined the team. Siraj is a well-known name in world cricket. He has played many matches for India and knows how to handle pressure. Bringing in a senior player like Siraj to replace a younger player like Rana gives the Indian team more experience. Siraj can bowl with the new ball and also come back later in the innings to take wickets.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is playing in home conditions, but they have not escaped the injury bug. They have lost two players, including their captain and star player.
Wanindu Hasaranga, the star all-rounder, is out with a hamstring tear. Hasaranga is a vital player because he takes many wickets with his leg-spin bowling and also scores quick runs with the bat. Losing him is a major blow. Dushan Hemantha has been named as his replacement. Hemantha is also a leg-spinner and a handy batter. He has a very similar style to Hasaranga, which helps the team keep their game plan.
The second player out is Eshan Malinga. He is a bowler who suffered a shoulder tear, much like Naveen-ul-Haq. Sri Lanka has replaced him with Pramod Madushan. Madushan is a fast bowler who can swing the ball. He will join the pace attack and try to take early wickets for the team.
Australia
Australia has perhaps faced the biggest challenge regarding injuries. They have lost two of their main fast bowlers, which changes the look of their attack completely.
Josh Hazlewood is out of the tournament due to shoulder tears. Hazlewood is famous for his accuracy. He lands the ball in the same spot again and again, making it hard for batters to score. A shoulder tear prevents him from doing this. Interestingly, the team has not named a direct replacement for him yet. This is unusual, but sometimes teams wait to see exactly what kind of player they need before calling someone up.
The second big loss is Pat Cummins. He is out with back stress. For a fast bowler, the back is very important. “Back stress” usually refers to a stress fracture or severe pain caused by the constant impact of bowling. It is an injury that requires a lot of rest. Ben Dwarshuis has come in to replace him. Dwarshuis is a left-arm fast bowler. Left-arm bowlers create different angles, which can be tricky for batters. He will have a big job filling the spot left by Cummins.
Ireland
Ireland has suffered a huge loss at the top of their order. Paul Stirling, their experienced batter and leader, is out with a knee injury. Stirling is a powerful hitter who usually opens the batting. He sets the tone for the team. A knee injury stops him from hitting his famous shots and running hard.
Sam Topping has been called up to replace him. Topping is a wicketkeeper-batter. This gives Ireland another option behind the stumps and in the batting order. While Stirling’s experience is hard to match, Topping brings fresh energy to the squad.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has had to change their wicketkeeper. Brendon Taylor, a veteran of the game, has suffered a hamstring pull. Taylor has played for Zimbabwe for many years and is one of their best batters. A hamstring pull makes it impossible to crouch behind the stumps for 20 overs or run quick singles while batting.
Ben Curran has been named as his replacement. Ben comes from a famous cricketing family. He is a batter who will look to score runs and help the team put up good totals. The change means Zimbabwe will have to adjust their batting order slightly to fit him in.
UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) team has made a change for a reason other than a physical injury. Muhammad Zohaib has left the squad due to mental well-being and team welfare. In modern sports, mental health is taken very seriously. Playing in a World Cup is stressful, and sometimes players need a break to look after themselves. The team decided that it was best for his welfare and the team environment for him to step aside.
Haider Shah has stepped in as his replacement. Shah is a batter who will take the empty spot in the squad. This change shows that teams are looking after their players as people, not just as athletes.
T20 World Cup 2026 Injury and Replacement Tracker
| Player Name | Country | Type of Injury / Reason | Replacement Player |
| Naveen-ul-Haq | Afghanistan | Shoulder tear | Zia-Ur-Rahman Sharifi |
| Adam Milne | New Zealand | Hamstring pull | Kyle Jamieson |
| Tony de Zorzi | South Africa | Hamstring tear | Ryan Rickelton |
| Donovan Ferreira | South Africa | Cavicle fracture (Collarbone) | Tristan Stubbs |
| Harshit Rana | India | Knee injury | Mohammed Siraj |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka | Hamstring tear | Dushan Hemantha |
| Eshan Malinga | Sri Lanka | Shoulder tear | Pramod Madushan |
| Josh Hazlewood | Australia | Shoulder tears | None named |
| Pat Cummins | Australia | Back stress | Ben Dwarshuis |
| Michael Bracewell | New Zealand | Calf pull | Cole McConchie |
| Paul Stirling | Ireland | Knee injury (Ligament damage) | Sam Topping |
| Brendon Taylor | Zimbabwe | Hamstring pull | Ben Curran |
| Jasdeep Singh | USA | Shoulder injury | Ehsan Adil |
| Muhammad Zohaib | UAE | Mental well-being & team welfare | Haider Shah |
The tournament will continue with these new faces. For the replacement players, this is a golden opportunity. They were not in the original plans, but now they have a chance to be heroes. For the teams, the goal remains the same: to win the match, regardless of who is in the playing eleven.
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