The dust has settled on Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign, and for the 2021 champions, the view from the sidelines is a bitter one. What was supposed to be a dominant march toward a second title ended in a whimper, officially confirmed after a washout in Pallekele and a string of shock losses.

While some might point to the "luck of the draw" or tropical rain, the reality is far more clinical: Win Adda Australia was the architect of its own downfall. From baffling tactical shifts to what many legends are calling an "insult" to one of the game's greats, here is how it all went wrong.

1. The "Steve Smith Insult"

The most heated talking point of the tournament has been the treatment of Steve Smith. Initially left out of the squad entirely, Smith was eventually brought in as an injury replacement, only to be left on the bench during a critical, must-win clash against Sri Lanka.

Cricket legend Mark Waugh didn't mince words, labeling the omission "the most baffling non-selection" he could remember. The logic was simple: on slow, turning Caribbean and South Asian pitches, you need a master of spin. Smith’s recent Big Bash League form suggested he was a "class above," yet the selectors preferred out-of-form power hitters. By treating a modern-day great as an afterthought, the selection panel didn't just lose a tactical edge—they sent a message of instability to the entire camp.

2. Faulty Selections and Form Blindness

The "power-at-all-costs" mantra backfired spectacularly. Australia persisted with players like Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis even as their form deserted them. Meanwhile, Matt Renshaw—one of the few players actually finding the middle of the bat—was dropped for the biggest game of the tournament.

The selectors seemed wedded to "names" rather than "numbers." In T20 cricket, where momentum is everything, picking a "doomed" squad filled with players who hadn't made a run in three months was a gamble that failed. The absence of Mitchell Starc in key moments also raised eyebrows, leaving the bowling attack looking toothless against aggressive openers like Afghanistan’s Gurbaz and Zadran.

3. The Afghanistan Upset: The Turning Point

If the exit was a slow-motion crash, the match against Afghanistan was the moment the wheels fell off. Despite Pat Cummins’ historic back-to-back hat-tricks, the team's fielding was uncharacteristically sloppy. Dropping five catches in a high-stakes World Cup match isn't "bad luck"—it's a lack of clinical execution.

Afghanistan outplayed Australia in every department, proving that "Aussie DNA" and "big-match temperament" aren't enough if you can't hit the stumps or hold your catches.

4. Was it Bad Luck?

To be fair, the "lap of the Gods" did play a role. Australia’s fate was ultimately sealed when rain washed out the Zimbabwe vs. Ireland fixture, mathematically eliminating the Aussies.

However, relying on a washout in a different city to stay in a tournament is the ultimate admission of failure. If Australia hadn't suffered shock losses to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka earlier in the campaign, the rain in Pallekele would have been a mere footnote.

The Verdict

Australia’s exit serves as a wake-up call. The game is evolving, and the reliance on a core group of aging stars is starting to show cracks. By snubbing Steve Smith and ignoring the red flags of poor form, the selectors prioritised a rigid tactical blueprint over common sense.

The "insult" to Smith might be the headline, but the "complete fail" of the campaign was a collective effort. Australia didn't just lose a World Cup; they lost their identity as the team that always finds a way to win.

What do you think? Was Steve Smith's omission the main reason for the exit, or was the team simply outplayed? Let us know in the comments.