Travis Head appointed Australia captain ahead of T20 World Cup 2026; Mitchell Marsh OUT

Veteran Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh was expected to lead; however, the skipper has been replaced by Travis Head in the series against Pakistan ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Marsh is set to be rested following a strenuous BBL schedule.

The mighty Aussies, one of the fiercest competitors in ICC tournaments, had announced Mitchell Marsh as their skipper for the upcoming T20 World Cup. He has been their designated skipper in the shortest format, and under his leadership, the Aussies have climbed the ICC Rankings and are second after India in T20Is.

Mitchell Marsh was seen playing the entire stretch of the Big Bash League with the Perth Scorchers. He scored runs but was not seen at his consistent best; however, he guided his team to the top of the table as well as to their sixth title, under Ashton Turner's leadership.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Travis Head replaces Mitchell Marsh as the Australia captain for 1st T20I vs Pakistan

After the BBL season, which had an impact on his body, Australian veteran all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who has been ruled out on crucial occasions with injuries, has been rested for the First T20I match against Pakistan in the upcoming three-match series.

Mitchell Marsh was often seen off the field other than during his batting innings since he doesn't bowl any further and will also star in the World Cup as a specialist opening batter. Instead, the Australian management has appointed vice-captain Travis Head as the stand-in skipper for the first T20I.

Australia have kept several options in Mitchell Owen, Cameron Green and Matt Short as openers for the series, and these players would also be part of the upcoming ICC tournament in India.

Mitch Marsh is set to be rested for the Twenty20 series opener in Pakistan, likely paving the way for Travis Head to captain Australia for just the second time.https://t.co/pQxOaXd4kv pic.twitter.com/FBgReMeSn9

— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) January 28, 2026

Australia superstars to skip Pakistan tour

The renowned Australian cricketers include Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood and Glenn Maxwell. Among them, Cummins, David and Hazlewood are still recovering from their injuries.

However, Australian cricketers associated with their teams in the BBL, including Nathan Ellis, the Hobart Hurricanes skipper, and Glenn Maxwell, the Melbourne Stars all-rounder, will join the T20 World Cup squad later.

For the Pakistan tour, all matches have been scheduled to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The games have been scheduled on January 29, 31 and February 1. Travis Head will be leading them for the second time in his career.

Cricket Australia selectors back youngsters to gain experience with the Pakistan T20I series

The Australian selectors have added several young names to the squad for the Pakistan series who are not even part of their preliminary World Cup squad. It includes young pacer Mahli Beardman and Jack Edwards, both of whom were finalists in BBL 15.

Josh Phillippe and Matthew Renshaw have also been selected for the Pakistan series and may be drafted into the middle order as well. Travis Head will find a new opening pair in either Matt Short or Mitchell Owen. Cameron Green will finally return for some white-ball action since the South Africa home series.

“The series is a great opportunity for those on the brink of selection and some young players we rate highly for valuable experience with the World Cup group in Pakistan," Australia's Chair of Selectors George Bailey said.

ALSO READ: The Hundred 2026 schedule sparks panic as England’s Test plans take a hit