Matthew Kuhnemann knows his role at his maiden global tournament could be anything.
He could be bowling the first over in his first World Cup match, having taken the new ball three times in his six T20 internationals to date, or the last, as he’s done previously when playing for Brisbane Heat.
Kuhnemann has become well versed across all three phases of the T20 game during his career with the Heat, where’s he’s bowled regularly in the Powerplay (47 overs), middle overs (123) and death (34).
“As a finger spinner these days, you got to be ready to bowl the first to the 20th and everything in between,” Kuhnemann told cricket.com.au in Sri Lanka ahead of the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup.
“So I’ve got a role where I’ve got to bowl the over where the captain wants me to bowl.”
Having only made his T20 debut last year, the left-armer has been primed for this tournament given the spin-friendly conditions Australia will face, especially in their four Group B matches, all to be played in Sri Lanka.
Their first two matches will be played at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium, where Sri Lanka and Ireland sent down 25 overs of spin from the 40 bowled in the tournament’s Group B opener on Sunday night. Australia will then move to Kandy’s Pallekele Stadium for their final two group matches where 40 per cent of the wickets in men’s T20 internationals have fallen to spin.
It’s a similar trend overall in Sri Lanka, with spin bowlers accounting for more than 45 per cent of the wickets taken in the format (international and domestic), with their economy rate one run less on average per over than their pace bowling counterparts.
That bodes well for Kuhnemann who has taken 63 per cent of his 35 international wickets in the island nation.
Of course, he’s played most of his matches in Sri Lanka too (six of 16), having made his ODI debut at Pallekele Stadium in 2022, but his average in the country across all formats is 21, which is also ahead of his mark in India (31), Pakistan (33.5) and Australia (46.5).
“It presents more spin-friendly conditions to back home in Australia, so I love coming to Sri Lanka,” Kuhnemann said.
“I love spending time in Colombo and especially down in Galle for the Test matches.
“It’s an interesting stat and probably means I need to play a few more games around the world.”
He added that the key to bowling in Sri Lankan conditions was to keep it as “simple as possible”.
“I think accuracy is probably the main one … because when the wicket does give you a bit of assistance, it’s just about keeping it simple and not overplaying your role,” he said.
“There’s obviously been a build up to this World Cup in subcontinent conditions, so it gives me a chance and I’m really excited to be here.”
Kuhnemann’s journey to Kandy for Australia’s final two Group B matches against co-hosts Sri Lanka (12:30am AEDT February 17) and Oman (12:30am AEDT February 21) is sure to be less adventurous than his first trip to the central highlands city when he was parachuted in to make his ODI debut in 2022.
With Australia A playing a four-day match against Sri Lanka A in the southern port city of Hambantota when Marcus Stoinis and Ashton Agar went down with injury, Kuhnemann and Travis Head were issued an SOS.
But with Sri Lanka’s mountainous terrain making the 250km journey by road an inconceivable option given the match was to be played later that night, Cricket Australia were forced to find the pair an alternate mode of transport.
“It was a mayhem that morning; ‘Heady’ and I were in Hambantota and we had to get to Kandy,” the 29-year-old recounted.
“They said it was an eight-hour drive away, so we ended up getting a helicopter to the team hotel over the rainforest.
“It was the only option for our chance to play; an eight-hour drive through the rainforest or an hour chopper.
“So that was pretty cool and then getting off and getting the chance to play was amazing.
“I remember the crowd was unreal and ‘Hoff’ and I were batting in the end and they won, so the crowd swarmed the field sort of like the old days when they would run on as the batters ran off the field.”
Australia are almost certain to pair Adam Zampa with a left-arm spinner for their tournament opener against Ireland at Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday afternoon (8:30pm AEDT), with both Kuhnemann and allrounder Cooper Connolly in the frame.
Should Kuhnemann get the nod, it would be just the fourth time in 27 matches since the last T20 World Cup in 2024 that Australia have lined up with two specialist spinners in their XI.
And Kuhnemann believes his time spent bowling in tandem with Mitchell Swepson at the Heat before his move to Melbourne Stars last season has him well-equipped to be Zampa’s supporting act.
“It’s great when you have a player like ‘Sweppo’ or ‘Zamps’ bowling from the other end,” he said. “And that goes for bowling with all the quicks too.
“We’re Australia’s best bowlers in this team so whenever I get the chance bowl with that quality from the other end, it makes my job lot easier.”
2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
Australia squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserve: Sean Abbott
Australia’s Group Stage fixtures
February 11: v Ireland, R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (8:30pm AEDT)
February 13: v Zimbabwe, R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (4:30pm AEDT)
February 16: v Sri Lanka, Pallekele International Stadium, Kandy (Feb 17, 12:30am AEDT)
February 20: v Oman, Pallekele International Stadium, Kandy (Feb 21, 12:30am AEDT)
Australia’s Super Eight fixtures
(Assuming all seeded teams qualify)
February 23: Australia (X2) v West Indies (X3), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai (Feb 24, 12:30am AEDT)
February 26: India (X1) v Australia (X2), MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai (Feb 27, 12:30am AEDT)
March 1: Australia (X2) v South Africa (X4), Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, 8:30pm AEDT
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches will be broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video
