Lee’s participation in World Twenty20 in jeopardy

(Cricinfo) Australian fast bowler Brett Lee’s participation in the upcoming World Twenty20 tournament is now in doubt after he injured his right thumb during a recent Indian Premier League (IPL) match.

Lee, who plays for the Kings XI Punjab, injured his thumb during his team’s victory against the Mumbai Indians on April 9. The injury has cut short Lee’s campaign in the IPL and he is set to return to Australia.

Lee had just returned from elbow surgery in December and went wicketless in four IPL games, increasing the concerns over his ability to return to top-level action. Tim Nielsen, the Australia coach, was hopeful Lee will be part of the squad for the side’s entry into the competition early next month.

‘All we can do is wait and see how it reacts over the next four or five days before we have our camp and head off to the West Indies,” Nielsen told the Age on Wednesday. “Hopefully it will heal, and the scans and things he’s having at the moment will show exactly the nature of the damage and what the likelihood of him playing is.”

Lee’s agent, Neil Maxwell, however felt the fast bowler shouldn’t rush his comeback. ‘While it would be wonderful for him to be able to play in it, I don’t think the Twenty20 World Cup is the be-all and end-all,” Maxwell told the same paper. “Brett has constantly rushed to get back into things because of timing, and whenever he has had a good break he’s come back firing on eight cylinders. I’d rather him be at 100% when he plays for his country.’

The ICC World Twenty20 tournament kicks off in the West Indies on April 30.