&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Australia hit by fresh injury blow as Nathan Ellis ruled out of BBL finals ahead of T20 World Cup")
Australia’s T20 World Cup preparation has suffered another major setback with fast bowler Nathan Ellis ruled out of the Big Bash League finals due to a hamstring injury, adding to the growing list of fitness worries in their pace attack. The timing could not be worse, both for the Hurricanes and for Australia, with the global tournament just weeks away.
Ellis was set to lead Hobart in the Challenger match against Sydney Sixers at the SCG, with the winner earning a place in the final against Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium. His absence is a huge blow for the defending champions, especially because he has been their captain and leading wicket-taker this season. Losing their most reliable bowler at such a crucial stage weakens their title defence.
Cricket Australia confirmed that Ellis remains a part of Australia’s T20 World Cup squad and is expected to recover in time. However, his injury is being closely watched, given how important he is to Australia’s pace plans. Ellis was already rested from the upcoming T20I series against Pakistan as part of workload management, which now makes this setback even more concerning.
Ellis’ injury adds to a growing list of fitness problems in the Australian camp. Captain Pat Cummins, who recently returned during the Ashes after a long injury break, may miss the first two or three group-stage matches of the World Cup. Australia’s chief selector George Bailey said his availability will depend on the results of a back scan scheduled later this month.
Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are also racing against time. Hazlewood missed the entire Ashes series, while David picked up a hamstring injury during the BBL. Both players were left out of the T20I squad against Pakistan but are expected to recover before the World Cup begins.
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As per ICC rules, teams can make changes to their squads until January 31. This gives Australia some room to adjust if players fail to regain full fitness. Despite the concerns, Bailey remained positive, saying that Cummins, Hazlewood and David are “tracking in the right direction” and are still central to Australia’s plans.
Australia’s T20 World Cup squad
Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa.
