History repeats for Australia in T20 World Cups. The 2026 edition’s Super 8 snub, courtesy of Ireland-Zimbabwe rainout, echoes five prior playoff failures in Group B drama.
Zimbabwe advanced instead, a testament to T20’s volatility. Here’s a comprehensive look at these infamous exits.
2009 debacle: Winless. Opened with West Indies loss (seven wickets), Sri Lanka piled on (six wickets).
2014: Group 2 yielded one victory. Pakistan (16-run defeat), West Indies (six wickets), India rout (73 runs). Late Bangladesh win (seven wickets) futile.
2016 twists: New Zealand thriller lost by eight runs. Rebounds vs Bangladesh (three wickets), Pakistan (21 runs). India crushed hopes (six wickets).
2022 agony: Four triumphs—New Zealand 89 runs, Sri Lanka seven wickets, Ireland 42, Afghanistan four. Rain vs England, poor NRR betrayal.
2024 journey: Group B invincible (Oman 39, England 36, Namibia 9wkts, Scotland 5wkts). Super 8: Bangladesh DLS win (28), Afghanistan stunner (21-run loss), India semis-block (24 runs).
2026 script: Ireland smashed (67 runs), Zimbabwe shocked (23-run loss), Sri Lanka dominated (eight wickets). Washout clinched elimination. These episodes challenge Australia’s supremacy narrative in T20s.