Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has admitted the team is devastated after crashing out in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20. Australia opened their campaign with a win over Ireland, but defeats to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka have seen them on the brink of elimination. Crackdown between Ireland and Zimbabwe they finally confirmed their exit from the tournament.
The Aussies will now look to restore some pride when they take on Jatinder Singh-led Oman in their final group game on Friday, February 20 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. McDonald stressed that representing Australia remains motivation enough, adding that the team is determined to give their best against Oman.
“Yeah, we’ve got a pretty devastated group, that’s fair to say. I mean, the motivation is you’re still playing a World Cup game for your country. So we’ve got to plan and prepare accordingly. It’s a bit of a rare situation we’re in,” McDonald said in a pre-match press conference.
“Usually we’re alive when we get to these points in time, but not to be. And yes, we’ve gotten ourselves into this position. Hopefully, Oman, we can get ready and go out there and do the work.”
NO TIME TO LOOK BACK
McDonald said the team needed to quickly move on from the disappointment and focus on the upcoming clash with Oman. He emphasized preparation and a mental reset, adding that deeper reflection on their campaign will come later when they leave the tournament and can assess events with greater clarity.
“I think whenever you’re in that emotional state, it’s not looking back, it’s looking forward and the next game is Oman. So we have to get it right. We have to plan and prepare against the opponent that presents itself. And I think the time to start looking back on what happened will be when we get McLean off the shores here.”
Australia entered the tournament at 3-0 against Pakistan. They struggled to build momentum at the World Cup, with injuries to key players compounding their problems. It was also the second time since 2009 that Australia had failed to progress beyond the opening round.
T20 World Cup | T20 World Cup Schedule | T20 World Cup Points Table | T20 World Cup Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
February 19, 2026