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Australian cricket has been hit by a major injury scare as powerful finisher Tim David faces a race against time to be fit for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup after picking up a hamstring strain in the Big Bash League.
The Australian power hitter injured his hamstring while playing for the Hobart Hurricanes in their Big Bash League 2025-26 (BBL 2025-26) match against the Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium on Friday (December 26).
The injury occurred while he was pushing hard to get a single, and the discomfort was immediately evident. David struggled to move freely and had to limp off the field, retiring injured on a quickfire 42 from just 28 balls.
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This injury comes at the worst possible time. It was the 29-year-old power hitter’s second hamstring problem this year, after a similar setback kept him out of action during the IPL.
Drama at Optus Stadium.
Tim David left the field with what appears to be a hamstring injury. #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/UEIObKHnDr
– KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 26, 2025
Tim David was quoted as saying on Channel 7: “I just felt a little something when I was trying to come back for two. It’s not ideal, but I didn’t want to make it worse and I had full faith in the boys to get us home. We’ll wait and see.”
Tim David injury update: Australia sweats on finisher’s T20 World Cup fitness
This Big Bash League season is already shorter this year and will end on January 25, leaving very little time for David to heal and return for the Hobart Hurricanes’ title defense.
But the biggest concern is the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, which begins on February 7. With just around 40 days to go, Australia and their captain Mitchell Marsh are worried about David, who is one of the dangerous finishers in T20s.
Losing him would be a major blow to Australia’s T20 World Cup plans. He is expected to undergo tests on Saturday, December 27 to understand the severity of the damage and how long recovery might take.
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The worry and hope of Nathan Ellis
Meanwhile, the setback was difficult for the Hobart Hurricanes camp with captain, Nathan Ellis, deeply affected after seeing one of their biggest match-winners go down. Ellis still hopes Tim David can recover in time; everything now depends on the results of the analysis.
Nathan Ellis reportedly told Cricket Australia: “You know, I’d be lying if I didn’t say there’s a few of us who have one eye on the World Cup as well. So as a mate, first and foremost, I’m broken that he could potentially miss a few games for the Hurricanes.”
He admitted that Tim’s BBL future 2025-26 and ICC T20 World Cup 2026 hopes both depend on a close recovery race. Ellis added of Tim: “But hopefully we do all the right things and hopefully potentially have him perfect for the end of the tournament…
and beyond with the Australian colors at the World Cup. He is an important figure in the Australian cricket team; there are no secrets there. He hit four and dominated, so fingers crossed it’s not too bad, and we get him a few games in purple before then.
Why David’s fitness is key to Australia’s hopes
Tim David is one of the most dangerous hitters in modern T20 cricket, and his fitness could play a big role in Australia’s path in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. In T20Is, he has been very consistent, scoring 1596 runs at an average of 36.27 with a high strike rate of 168.88 from 68 matches.
This year, his progression up the batting order to fourth or fifth has worked out perfectly. The move helped him score his maiden T20I hundred and also win Player of the Series honors against South Africa, showing how important he is to Australia in the mega-event.
