Is Shimron Hetmyer Out of T20 World Cup 2026 After Missing Photoshoot?

The much-awaited T20 World Cup 2026 is just days away as the tournament is set to start on February 7. All the teams have started their preparation for the tournament and are currently playing the warm-up matches to experiments team combinations and other things before the main event.

Meanwhile, ahead of the major tournament, the two-time T20 World Cup champions, West Indies, have suffered a huge blow regarding the participation of their star batter Shimron Hetmyer in the tournament.

Is Shimron Hetmyer Out of T20 World Cup 2026?

West Indies' star middle-order batter Shimron Hetmyer is doubtful to play the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. The left-handed batter recently missed the official photoshoot for the tournament. The star batter also didn't come out to bat during the West Indies vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup warm-up game on February 4.

Shimron Hetmyer photoshoot absence brought back the unfortunate memories when he missed out on the T20 World Cup 2022 after not being able to make it to Australia as he missed the squad flight. He was later replaced by Shamarh Brooks. Fans are hoping that there is nothing serious and the batter joins the squad before the tournament starts.

Meanwhile, reports suggest that Hetmyer is likely to join the squad by Saturday, before West Indies' opening game, which will be played against Scotland on February 7. He is one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world and his experience will be key for the two-time champions.

Why is Shimron Hetmyer Important for West Indies?

Hetmeyer is one of the few players in the West Indies squad who has played all over the world. The star batter has played 75 T20I matches so far and scored 1,345 runs at a strike rate of 133.43, including seven half-centuries. The numbers might not do enough justice to the kind of importance he carries in the squad but he remains one of the best T20 batsmen in the world.

Hetmyer has a lot of experience playing on the Indian pitches. He has been playing in the Indian Premier League since 2019, featuring in 86 matches and scoring 1,483 runs at an impressive strike rate of 151.95. Shimron Hetmyer T20 World Cup presence and his experience of playing on Indian surfaces can prove to be an advantage for West Indies.

On top of that, the batter is also in red-hot form, recently contributing to the West Indies' consolation victory against South Africa in the third T20I to avoid the whitewash. He played a destructive knock of 48 runs off just 22 balls, helping the team to post a fighting total on the scoreboard, which was later defended by the bowlers.