Former England captain Kevin Pietersen, who was unceremoniously dumped from the team following their Ashes 2013-14 humiliation in Australia, is all set for his final act on the cricket field as a player.
The 37-year-old Pietersen, who has taken up cricket commentary as his new vocation, has announced that the next three to four weeks will be his last as a cricket player. In his last days as a player, Pietersen will be playing in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL), according to Geo TV.
Pietersen made an emotional social media post announcing the development. “Countless goodbyes to @jessicalibertyx & my kids as a cricket player & this one this evening is the last one I’ll ever have to do,” he wrote on Instagram.
“I’ve hated every goodbye but also known it’s work so just gotten on with it. The journey has been absolutely amazing & for the next 3/4 weeks I’ll be a current professional & then it’s chapter closed! Had my time & loved it but the endless goodbyes & travel needs to calm down now. Cricket has been the best!,” Pietersen added.
Pietersen played 104 Tests, 136 ODIs and 37 T20Is for England from mid-2005 till early 2014. He scored 8,181 runs in Tests at 47.28 with 23 centuries and 35 half-centuries, finishing as the fifth-highest run-scorer in England’s history. He made 4,422 runs in 134 ODIs at 41.32 with nine centuries and 25 fifties, and occupies the fifth spot in the list of all time highest-run getters for England.
{{/usCountry}}Pietersen played 104 Tests, 136 ODIs and 37 T20Is for England from mid-2005 till early 2014. He scored 8,181 runs in Tests at 47.28 with 23 centuries and 35 half-centuries, finishing as the fifth-highest run-scorer in England’s history. He made 4,422 runs in 134 ODIs at 41.32 with nine centuries and 25 fifties, and occupies the fifth spot in the list of all time highest-run getters for England.
{{/usCountry}}The right-handed attacking batsman is only the third England batsman to have scored more than 1,000 runs in T20Is. In 37 matches, Pietersen made 1,176 runs at 37.93 with seven fifties.