Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was on Friday ruled out of the T20 World Cup after failing to recover from hamstring and Achilles injuries in another setback for Australia.

The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to begin tomorrow. Yet, instead of discussions about on-field affairs, the cricketing world has continued to buzz with politics, protest and uncertainty.

Sri Lanka's cricket board on Thursday asked Pakistan to reconsider its decision to boycott their first-round encounter with arch-rival India in the T20 World Cup co-hosted by the island.

Group C is going to be one to watch at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav said Thursday that his team would show up in Colombo for their T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan, despite their Group A opponents and arch-rivals boycotting the match.

"It's sad Bangladesh are not here. They have a very good side. Hopefully they will support us," Agha said.

The upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to platform the game’s latest trends, where it’s expected that co-hosts and reigning champions India will be at the forefront.

Former England captain turned cricket pundit Nasser Hussain said he supported Bangladesh’s stance of not travelling to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup and praised Pakistan for standing by Bangladesh.

The T20 World Cup begins on Saturday in India and Sri Lanka, with a chance for fresh faces to shine in the global spotlight.

Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul thanked Pakistan for standing by Bangladesh after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed his country’s decision to boycott their T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 was in protest of Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament.

"Let’s get the politics out of it," Lee, who ended his 13-year international career in 2012, said in 'Mr. Cricket UAE' podcast.

It is the first time any official from either the Pakistan government or the PCB has publicly addressed the reasons for the boycott.

On the field, Pakistan looks settled, sharp and ready. Off the field, however, attention shifted from cricketing form to a decision that could define their campaign.

This group is there for the taking and may prove to deliver some shock results.

India are a popular pick as tournament favourites, coming off scintillating form that has seen them win 48 of their last 56 T20I games dating back to October 2023.

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will miss the early stages of the Twenty20 World Cup as he recovers from hamstring and Achilles injuries in another setback for Australia.

He added that the ICC has allowed double standards in the past and failed to address such situations.

The Sydney Morning Herald, citing industry sources involved in confidential negotiations, reported that each India-Pakistan game carries an estimated value of around USD 250 million, given its billion-plus global audience.

Indian National Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has criticised the politicisation of cricket, calling Pakistan’s boycott of their T20 World Cup 2026 match against India “disgraceful” and urging all parties to “contact each other on an emergency basis” to resolve the issue.

The spark that lit this wildfire wasn’t a war, a border clash, or even a match. It was the quiet exclusion of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from an Indian Premier League franchise in early January -- a decision that, at the time, felt like just another cricketing call.