Ponting declared fit to play after an injury scare

Melbourne, May 31 (ANI): Australian captain Ricky Ponting has been cleared to compete in the World Twenty20 after suffering an injury scare in practice at Trent Bridge in Nottingham ahead of the tournament.

Ponting was hit on the right wrist by a cricket ball struck by Michael Hussey during practice in Nottingham, where Australia play a warm-up match against Bangladesh on Sunday.

The Tasmanian batting star sat out the rest of the net session, but a team spokesman said: "He copped a whack on the wrist and had it iced for the rest of training. He's fine, though, and he'll be back tomorrow. There was no need to have an X-ray. It's just a whack on the wrist basically ... it shouldn't be any issue at all."

Ponting was picking up a ball in the nets when another ball struck by Hussey hit him on the right wrist, FOX Sports reported.

The skipper left the field to apply an ice pack, and he later emerged from the changing rooms wearing a bandage that covered his forearm from wrist to elbow.

He rejoined his team in the middle of the training ground and watched them closely, but did not undertake any further practice himself. He later apologetically declined to shake a journalist's hand, indicating the strapping round his arm.

Australia will have another hit-out against New Zealand at The Oval on Tuesday before opening their World Twenty20 campaign against West Indies at the London ground on June 6. (ANI)