Brett Lee Finally Speaks Out On Speculation About Dating Preity Zinta
Legendary Australian cricketer Brett Lee has finally opened up on age-old rumours linking his name with Bollywood actress Preity Zinta.
- Brett Lee confirmed he never dated Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, calling her a great friend
- Lee joined Kings XI Punjab, co-owned by Zinta, in 2008 and played until 2010
- Speculations about Lee and Zinta's romance surfaced repeatedly
Brett Lee, one of the greatest cricketers in history, has finally spoken up about the rumours of being in a romantic relationship with Bollywood actress Preity Zinta in the past. Lee joined the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) franchise, co-owned by Zinta in the Indian Premier League (IPL), in 2008. He stayed with the franchise until 2010 before being bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2011. Over the years, speculations of romance brewing between the two surfaced multiple times, but the Australian pace-bowling legend never addressed them.
However, in an interview, Lee has finally opened up on the speculations, saying he and Zinta were only friends and still are.
"Here's your scoop: I never dated a Bollywood actress. Preity Zinta and I were, and still are, great friends. She was the boss of the Punjab team back then. She's an incredibly smart woman, and I have a lot of respect for her," he told Bombay Times.
"Stories like that never bothered me because I always knew the truth. People can speculate all they want, but I never let it affect me," he further said.
While Lee remained silent for about two decades, Zinta did open up on the speculations in 2010. She had said: "I think being romantically linked to Brett every year is outdated and stale news now! So sorry to say, folks, NO NEWS here! FRIENDS yeesss."
On the personal front, Brett Lee married Elizabeth Kemp in 2006, and the two had a son together. However, cracks started to develop in their relationship not long after the marriage, and they parted ways just two years later. They finalised their divorce in 2009. In 2014, Lee tied the knot with Lana Anderson, with whom he has two kids.
As for Zinta, she hasn't been as active in Bollywood in the last few years, but is reportedly shooting for her movie Batwara 1947, which also stars Sunny Deol in the lead role. The movie is set to hit cinemas on August 14.
On the sporting front, she continues to co-own the Punjab franchise in the IPL and is often seen in the stands for the team's home matches.
Brett Lee
Punjab Kings