If Hardik Pandya had played, the Aussies would have lost there too
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If Hardik Pandya had played, the Aussies would have lost there too

Scoopico
Scoopico


Former India batter Mohammad Kaif brutally attacked Australia after their shocking elimination from the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. Kaif pointed to Australia’s performances in the last three ICC events as evidence of their fall, following the 2023 ODI World Cup triumph.

The Aussies were knocked out in the Super Eights in the 2024 T20 World Cup, before suffering semifinal and final losses in the 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC).

Kaif further doubled down on his scathing assessment of the Aussies by stating that ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s presence would have doomed them even in the 2023 World Cup final against India. For the uninitiated, the Men in Yellow crushed Team India by six wickets in the summit clash in Ahmedabad to win their sixth ODI World Cup title.

Following Australia’s shocking first-round elimination from the 2026 T20 World Cup, Kaif posted on his X handle:

“Mighty Aussies they were called after winning the 2023 50-overs World Cup. After that they had a sharp fall. 2024 World T20, 2025 Champions Trophy, 2025 World Test Championship – they were not Mighty. If Hardik Pandya had played the Ahmedabad final in 2023, the Aussies would have lost there too.”

Hardik suffered a horrific ankle injury during the 2023 World Cup against Bangladesh, ruling him out of the tournament. Yet, the Men in Blue went untroubled, winning all their games in the competition, until the final loss to Australia.

How did Australia suffer a third consecutive pre-semifinal exit in the T20 World Cup?

Australia has struggled in T20 World Cups since their triumph in 2021, suffering a hat-trick of pre-semifinal exits. Yet, none have been as shocking as their first-round elimination from the ongoing edition.

After a crushing win over Ireland in their tournament opener, the Men in Yellow fell surprisingly to a lowly Zimbabwe side by 23 runs. It meant they were in a must-win situation against Sri Lanka last night.

Yet, the Aussies unravelled after a terrific start to suffer an eight-wicket loss to the Lankans. The dagger blow came when the Zimbabwe-Ireland contest was abandoned earlier today. officially knocking Australia out of the competition.

Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe advance from Group B to the Super Eights.