T20 World Cup: Australia kicked out of tournament in embarrassing group stage exit after Zimbabwe rains out against Ireland | Cricket News

Australia will make an embarrassing exit from the group stage of the men's T20 World Cup after Zimbabwe's match against Ireland was rained out.

Defeats to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka left Australia with two points from their opening three matches and needing multiple results to work in their favor to have any chance of reaching the Super 8s.

Australia demanded that Zimbabwe lose to Ireland on Tuesday, but the match was abandoned without any play to allow Zimbabwe to earn the point needed to move into the top two in Group B.

Zimbabwe move to five points from three matches, one behind group leaders Sri Lanka, while Australia – who can only score a maximum of four points – are now assured of early elimination regardless of the result against Oman on Friday.

The lack of a result means Ireland will also be eliminated, finishing with three points from four matches, with Oman also failing to advance from the group.

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How Australia bowed out of the T20 World Cup

After a comprehensive 67-run victory over Ireland in their opening match, two successive defeats to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka took the Baggy Greens' tournament out of their control.

Injury and selection issues surrounded Australia's campaign, with captain Mitch Marsh only featuring once, with the decision not to replace him with Steve Smith coming under fire from batting legend Mark Waugh.

“I think the whole campaign was doomed from the start because of selection issues and injuries,” Waugh told SEN radio in Australia.

“To me, the non-selection of Steve Smith in the original team is the most baffling non-selection I can remember in ages.”

Australia's bowling has suffered from injuries and selection problems similar to those of its batting. Australia have taken four wickets in their last two matches – a staggering figure for a team that generally boasts one of the best bowling attacks in world cricket.

Mitchell Starc's retirement from T20 cricket, along with injuries to Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, have forced the Baggy Greens to face their first international tournament without one of their world champion fast bowling trio in a decade.

Their absence was perhaps felt most when Pathum Nissanka smashed his 100 off 52 balls for Sri Lanka to put the nail in Australia's coffin.

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, advance to the Super 8 stage with a flawless start, matching their best World Cup performance in 2022.

Raza: Everyone loves underdog stories

Zimbabwe captain Sikanadar Raza speaking on Aerial sports:

“I take you back to when we played our sub-regional qualifiers. We played Kenya, Rwanda and all these teams. I stood up to my troops and said 'we are in this position because of us – there is no one else to blame, only we can get through this.'

“We're going to party, but only for a short time: we have a day's travel and then a match against Sri Lanka. That wasn't the only goal we had.

“It’s a box to check, but we still have a lot to do. Everyone loves an underdog story.

“We are doing our best to gain more respect for Zimbabwe.”

Tucker: We know rain as Irish people!

Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker speaking on Aerial sports:

“Something we know well as Irish people. We didn't want it to end that way, but that wasn't the case today.

“I felt like we were gaining some momentum after the Oman game, but it came too late. That's how the tournament fell for us.

“Our group has gained a lot of experience from this tournament. We hope to have good times in the next two years.”

Watch every match from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports Cricket, including the final of the competition on Sunday March 8. Get Sky Sports Or stream without a contract with NOW.