Australia selectors gambling on Lee to perform at World Twenty20

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Melbourne, May 5 (ANI): Australia's selectors have admitted that they have gambled by naming Brett Lee in the World Twenty20 without seeing him deliver a single match ball since his return from foot stress fractures.

Lee, 32, has campaigned loudly to get back into the Australian squad in time for the Ashes, and will make his competitive return against Pakistan in a T20 match at Abu Dhabi on Thursday, reports Fox Sports.

Selection chairman Andrew Hilditch viewed Lee's selection for the T20 tournament in England as a risk taken with the Ashes in mind.

"It's not ideal, we would've liked him to be ahead of where he is, but fitness-wise he looks tremendous,'' Hilditch said.

"He's put all the weight back on after playing most of last year a bit underweight, so he's looking as fit as he could look, all he's got to do is get bowling under the belt. We're expecting him to be pretty rusty on Thursday to be fair, he's been out of the game for four or five months now so it'll take him a few games to get back to his rhythm. The plan will be for him to play on Thursday, return to the IPL to play some T20 cricket there and then join the squad," he added.

"We're very confident by the time that process takes place, which is still four weeks away, that he'll be back to full fitness," he said. (ANI)