SYDNEY, July 20: Australia kept faith with their World Cup winners when they named their squad on Friday for the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa in September.

Ricky Ponting will captain the side and fast bowler Brett Lee, who missed the World Cup through injury, returns in place of the retired Glenn McGrath.

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said in a Cricket Australia (CA) statement that after looking at some of the top domestic Twenty20 players, they felt the World Cup-winning side deserved the chance to prove they could perform to the highest standards in both shorter forms of the game.

“The reality is that Australia have not played a lot of international Twenty20 cricket, but we see no reason to doubt that, being an Australian side, they will be able to adapt quickly,” he said.

Hilditch added Lee had fully recovered from his ankle injury.

“It’s fantastic to have Brett Lee back, fully fit and resuming his spot in the Australian side,” he stated. “He’s back to training and raring to go.”

Australia also named their squad for the one-day series in India, which follows the Twenty20 World Cup, and an ‘A’ team to tour Pakistan including experienced leg-spinner Stuart MacGill.

Squad for Twenty20 World Championship: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain), Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, Brad Hogg, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson.

Squad to tour India: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain), Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, Brad Hogg, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson.

‘A’ squad to tour Pakistan: Adam Voges (captain), Cameron White (vice-captain), Cullen Bailey, Doug Bollinger, Dan Cullen, Ben Hilfenhaus, James Hopes, David Hussey, Phil Jaques, Andrew McDonald, Stuart MacGill, Ashley Noffke, Chris Rogers, Luke Ronchi.—Reuters