Another blow for terrific batsman Kevin Pietersen as he was left out of England's World Twenty20 squad announced on Tuesday, with this his international cricket exile continued.

Pietersen has been ignored despite the fact that he was the man of the tournament when England won the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean, the first time they had lifted a major piece of International Cricket Council silverware.

He was dropped from the England team that lost the third Test against South Africa at Lord's by 51 runs on Monday after sending "provocative" text messages, allegedly criticizing England Test captain Andrew Strauss, to South African players.

The South Africa-born batsman, who recently made himself available again for all international cricket after retiring from one-dayers, was also left out of England's squad for the forthcoming one-day and Twenty20 series against South Africa starting in Cardiff on Friday.

England national selector Geoff Miller, explaining Pietersen's omission from the one-day and Twenty20 squads to play South Africa, said: "Kevin Pietersen's future involvement is still being determined and he was therefore not considered for selection in either squad."

The World Twenty20 starts in Sri Lanka next month, with England beginning the defence of their title against Afghanistan on September 21.

Source: TNN