David Payne pulls out of T20 Blast 2026, set to undergo ankle surgery to prolong career

Gloucestershire fast bowler David Payne has been ruled out of the upcoming season of the T20 Blast owing to an ankle injury. Payne suffered the injury during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, following which he had to withdraw from the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) squad as well. He himself was a replacement player for Jack Edwards. He played only one game in the IPL before injuring himself.

Payne will now be undergoing surgery on his ankle. He believes that doing so will prolong the career for the 35-year-old, as he is confident of playing T20 cricket around the world, with previous successful stints for the Desert Vipers and Perth Scorchers in the ILT20 and Big Bash League, respectively.

"I'm absolutely gutted to be missing the Blast, and I'm very sorry to all our supporters. The decision to have surgery was an incredibly difficult one, and it was only taken after exhausting every possible avenue to get me back playing," Payne wrote in a post on his official Instagram account.

"Ultimately, this is the right decision for my long-term career, and I'm immensely thankful to all the coaches and medical staff at the club for their incredible support throughout this process. I'll be cheering the team on from the sidelines and look forward to seeing everyone at the ground soon," he added further.

Naturally enough, Payne's presence will be dearly missed within the Gloucestershire dressing room during the 2026 season of the T20 Blast, as he has been a prolific performer for the county club over the years. In 2024, he was the leading wicket-taker for the club, accounting for 33 wickets in the season. This includes a terrific spell of 3 for 27 in the final, where Gloucs faced and defeated the might of Somerset. The club has not made an announcement regarding a replacement for Payne as of yet.