Australia’s early exit from the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka isn’t just a match failure. It may price them a spot on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Earlier than the T20 World Cup 2026 started, Australia was comfortably forward of New Zealand within the ICC rankings.
Australia’s early exit from the T20 World Cup 2026 opens the door for New Zealand within the Olympic Qualification race
Really, the ICC T20I Rankings will resolve which groups get automated entry for cricket’s huge return to the Olympics within the 2028 Summer time Video games. However after crashing out early, Australia has opened the door for New Zealand, reported The Sydney Morning Herald. Now the Black Caps have an actual likelihood to leap forward.
If New Zealand reaches the semi-finals or goes even additional within the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, they’ll seal direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. New Zealand has a powerful historical past in T20 occasions. They reached the semi-finals in 2007, 2016, 2021, and 2022.
Your day by day dose of cricket!
Learn Additionally: Hardik Pandya blamed 2 years after India’s 2023 World Cup Closing loss as Australia uncovered
So, this isn’t an unattainable process for them. If New Zealand qualifies straight, Australia can be pushed into a troublesome qualification match. Solely six males’s groups will play in Los Angeles. Which means Australia must battle with different second-ranked regional groups for the final remaining spot.
ICC Rankings twist may push Australia into a troublesome battle
The ICC has determined that rankings on the finish of this T20 World Cup 2026 will rely for Olympic qualification, with ultimate approval from the IOC nonetheless pending.
The game will return to the Olympics for the primary time in additional than 100 years. Prime Australian stars, together with Steve Smith and Pat Cummins, have overtly proven curiosity in enjoying on the Olympics.
Just lately, Smith had mentioned, “My most important aim is to get on the group when the Olympics are rolling round. I’d be eager to try this. That’d be fairly cool. So, maintain doing what I’m doing, and also you by no means know.”
Learn Additionally: Not India! Ryan ten Doeschate supporting Netherlands? Coach breaks silence earlier than T20 WC conflict
Olympics snub can be a large disgrace for Australia
For Australia, lacking the Olympics can be an enormous embarrassment, as Cricket Australia has labored for years to convey cricket again into the Video games.
Phillip Pope, creator of the 2007 CA report, acknowledged, “These of us who spent 20 years in opposition to the chances getting cricket again into the Olympic program for the primary time in over a century would regard it as mismanagement of epic proportions for Australia to fail to qualify for the world’s largest sports activities occasion in world sport’s greatest market.”
Cricket may also function within the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, and India might even host the Video games in 2036. However proper now, Australia’s focus is survival, as their Olympic dream is in critical hazard.
Ricky Ponting tears into Australia after T20 World Cup 2026 catastrophe
In the meantime, the legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting was not a lot involved in regards to the Kangaroos’ marketing campaign on the T20 World Cup 2026, however he slammed them for the poor present.
Ponting mentioned on the ICC Overview: “It has been a extremely poor marketing campaign, it must be mentioned. That they had some damage considerations at first, with Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins being dominated out after which Tim David not being out there proper at first as properly.
However I feel simply shedding to Zimbabwe like they did, that is going to be the sport that they are going to assume again on and assume, like, “That is our World Cup gone, there after which.”
