'Lock him in': Legends back McDermott for World Cup

Ben McDermott is a lock to be recalled to the national squad for this year's T20 World Cup, according to former Aussie selector Mark Waugh.

Waugh, who played 128 Tests for Australia, said during the broadcast of last night's Sydney Sixers-Perth Scorchers KFC BBL match that it wasn't even a question on whether McDermott should be picked.

"Certainly, in my book he's got to be there," said Waugh, who stepped down as a national selector in 2018.

"There's going to be a lot of good top-order players in that squad but he's got to be one of them."

Fellow commentator and cricket legend Brett Lee added "lock him in 100 per cent".

"He's a gun player, I wouldn't say he's improved because he's always had the talent but I just think this year he's got the temperament right," Lee said.

The Hobart Hurricanes opener has been red-hot in BBL|11 and leads the top run scorers chart by more than 100 runs.

Just before Christmas he became the first batter to score a century in consecutive BBL innings – and the first to score three in total – when he pummelled the Melbourne Renegades attack for 127.

It was an innings Aussie great Andrew Symonds described as the best he had ever seen in Big Bash and followed his 110 not out two nights earlier.

He then backed it up again on Saturday night with 93 against the Brisbane Heat to take his tournament tally to 457 from eight innings.

He also became just the 10th batter to reach 2000 run in the KFC BBL, joining the likes of Chris Lynn, Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell and Hurricanes teammates D'Arcy Short and Matthew Wade.

But the 27-year-old's first hurdle is to be recalled to Australia's ODI and T20I team for matches against New Zealand and Sri Lanka beginning two days after the BBL|11 final.

McDermott has played 17 T20I and two ODI in his career so far with a top score of 35.

Last month, after that stunning knock of 127, McDermott said the home T20 World Cup just 10 months away was "definitely the goal".

But the right-hander was also realistic about his chances of being selected.

"There's a lot of talent throughout that whole line-up, they just won a World Cup, so I don't think that the squad's doing anything wrong," he said.

"You never know, it'd be great to be there and amongst another World Cup win, it's looked pretty fun."

McDermott will be back in action this afternoon when the Hurricanes take on the Sydney Thunder at the MCG.