Family behind decision not to travel to Pakistan, says Pietersen

DUBAI: Quetta Gladiators’ star batsman Kevin Pietersen has apologised to his fans for not travelling to Pakistan for the knockout games of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL).

In a video message on Saturday, Pietersen said family considerations are behind his decision not to travel to Pakistan, and requested the fans to respect his decision.

“It’s with a very sorry heart that I have to leave Dubai and go back to London now. I wish I could travel [to Pakistan], but unfortunately [it’s my] family’s decision, and [my family] is important to me. I hope you can respect my decision and my family’s decision not to travel [to Pakistan],” he said.

The 37-year-old expressed his best wishes for Quetta Gladiators.

“We have an opportunity to win this [PSL], we really do. We are still in this competition. So please support the Purple Team. I will keep supporting the Purple Team. Third time lucky, remember!”

“The Purple Team will do it, hopefully. Inshallah!” he added.

This PSL was also Pietersen’s last stint as a professional cricketer. One of the most explosive batsmen of his generation, Pietersen, popularly known as ‘KP’, bid farewell to his cricket career after appearing in his final game for Quetta Gladiators on Thursday night.

"BOOTS UP! Thank you!" the former England cricketer tweeted last night.

Pietersen leaves the sport as England's second highest run-scorer across all formats of the game combined. In 104 Tests for England, he scored 8,181 runs at an average of 47.28 with 23 centuries and 35 fifties.

In 136 ODIs, he hit 4,440 runs with nine centuries and 25 half-centuries. He also appeared in 37 T20Is, scoring 1,176 runs with seven half-centuries.