The T20 World Cup 2026 kicked off with high drama in the opening round, where underdogs like Zimbabwe, Italy, and USA stole the spotlight while several powerhouses faltered badly. Defending champions Australia, who lifted the trophy in 2021, crashed out in the group stage, leaving fans stunned. England and Pakistan barely scraped through to Super 8, exposing glaring weaknesses.
Australia entered as favorites under Mitchell Marsh, but their campaign was a disaster. A humiliating loss to Zimbabwe set the tone, followed by an 8-wicket thrashing by Sri Lanka. Missing stars Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins hurt, but the bowling attack crumbled entirely. Defending 182 against Sri Lanka proved impossible as opposition batters feasted.
Big hitters Tim David, Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, and Marcus Stoinis, known for T20 fireworks, delivered embarrassingly poor shows with the bat. Australia’s inability to defend totals highlighted a lack of balance, turning pre-tournament hype into early disappointment.
Pakistan nearly lost their opener to Netherlands, revealing a fragile batting order. Against India, the cracks widened—only Sahibzada Farhan shone, while Babar Azam flopped badly. The middle order collapsed repeatedly, forcing reliance on sporadic brilliance to advance.
Ireland, led by Paul Sterling, carried big expectations but managed just one win in four games. Outside their Oman victory, the batting lineup imploded consistently, unable to chase or set competitive totals.
Even England, who qualified for Super 8, looked shaky. They survived a scare against Nepal and struggled versus West Indies. Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, and Phil Salt underperformed, while Jofra Archer failed to ignite the bowling. The defending champions’ road to glory now seems bumpier than ever.