T20 World Cup 2026: Rain knocked Australia out of the current edition of the T20 World Cup. The Zimbabwe-Ireland match never even got started as rain kept pouring in Pallekele. On Tuesday afternoon, after a long wait, officials called it off without a toss. With that, Zimbabwe sailed into the Super 8, and Australia’s campaign ends right here in the group stage. It’s the first time since 2009 that Australia hasn’t made it past the league round in a T20 World Cup.
This abandoned match meant everything to Australia. They needed Ireland to beat Zimbabwe to keep their own hopes alive. Instead, the weather refused to play along. The rain started early in the morning and it didn’t quit. After two and a half hours of waiting around, the match was officially scrapped.
If Zimbabwe lost tiday, Australia had a shot at the semifinals. So, the Aussies were desperate for an Irish win, but rain had other plans. Zimbabwe’s run in this tournament has been impressive. Sikandar Raza’s side pulled off the biggest upset by beating Australia, and that loss really hurt the Aussies. Things only got worse when they fell to Sri Lanka on Monday. Now, Australia is out of the tournament.
This is a big moment for Zimbabwe as they’ve reached the Super 8 for the first time in T20 World Cup history. Last time, in 2022, they made it to the Super 12, but this is a step further. They join India, England, West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand in the next round. One spot is left, with Pakistan and the USA fighting for it. If Pakistan loses their last league match, they’re out too.
