Injury rules Australia''s Lee out of T20 World Cup

SYDNEY: Veteran Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has been ruled out of the World Twenty20 competition in the West Indies after straining an arm muscle during a warm-up match, officials said Wednesday.

Lee, 33, will be sent home after suffering the strain in Australia''s shock defeat to Zimbabwe, adding to a long line of injury woes. Team officials have asked for permission to call up a replacement.

"It''s a muscle strain on the inner side of the elbow of the right arm," a Cricket Australia spokesman told foreign news agency, adding that it was separate to the elbow problem which recently required surgery.

"It was scanned but it will need to be looked at tomorrow," he said.