The campaign of Australia in the T20 World Cup 2026 is now officially over, as a rain-affected match in Pallekele has brought an end to their campaign.
A drizzle throughout the day prevented even the toss from happening in the match between Ireland and Zimbabwe, which has resulted in the end of Australia’s campaign in the tournament. As a result of the washout, Zimbabwe has progressed to the Super Eight, while Australia has been eliminated from the tournament.
Rain in Pallekele Ends Australia’s Super Eight Hopes
However, the rain in Pallekele resulted in the abandonment of the critical Group B match between Ireland and Zimbabwe. Since both teams shared points, Zimbabwe now has five points on the table, which is out of Australia’s reach.
Although Australia have one more group match left against Oman, it has become a dead rubber, as they can no longer qualify for the Super Eight of the T20 World Cup 2026.
Group B Qualification Scenario Confirmed
There is now a completed group table for Group B with Sri Lanka’s victory over Australia securing their qualification:
Sri Lanka- Qualified for the Super Eight.
Zimbabwe- Qualified for the Super Eight.
Australia- Eliminated.
Ireland and Oman- Eliminated.
With the successful qualification of Zimbabwe it represents a huge milestone for them having gathered five points which eliminates Australia from the tournament.
Zimbabwe’s Super Eight Fixtures Announced
Once qualified, Zimbabwe will assume Australia’s seeded spot (X2) in the Super Eight rounds of the T20 World Cup 2026. Zimbabwe’s schedule includes the following matches:
Vs West Indies – Mumbai (February 23)
Vs India – Chennai (February 26)
Vs South Africa – Delhi (March 01)
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These matches will be a challenge for Zimbabwe as they will be competing against some of the strongest teams in the tournament.
Sri Lanka’s Super Eight Schedule
Sri Lanka, who topped Group B, will now go on to face:
England (Home)
New Zealand (Home)
Third opponent – Yet to be confirmed
They have been performing consistently well in the group stage, which has put them in a very strong position as they move on to the next stage.
Australia Still to Play Oman in Dead Rubber
Despite being eliminated from the Super Eight race, Australia still have a place in the tournament. They are expected to meet Oman in Pallekele on Friday. The encounter will not affect the qualification positions, however.
Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka are expected to meet in Colombo on Thursday. The encounter may affect the group positions but not the qualification.
Weather Concerns Continue in Pallekele
According to weather predictions, the next 10 days will see a heavy chance of rain disrupting all four upcoming matches at Pallekele during the T20 World Cup 2026 tournament. This situation would present a tremendous inconvenience for these next four games and could very well disrupt many of the remaining T20 World Cup 2026 games played in Sri Lanka.
Final Update on Australia’s T20 World Cup 2026 Campaign
Australia’s early departure from T20 World Cup 2026 demonstrates how weather conditions have positively impacted upon teams throughout the tournament. The result is that both Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka will progress to Super Eight from their respective groups (group B), making it more difficult for these teams going forward.
ALSO READ: Super 8 Of T20 World Cup 2026: Qualified Teams And Final Spot Update
