SHARJAH // Sometimes, every so very occasionally, it is possible to lapse into thinking Kevin Pietersen really is more hassle than he is worth. That he is no longer part of the conversation, and can be confined to memory.
Plenty have tried. English cricket? He conquered that, then looked out of the window, started whistling, and civil war broke out. They tried to erase him from view, so he went and scored 355 not out. And thus he was rather tricky to ignore after all.
The England fallout hurried him into a life exclusively as a Twenty20 globetrotter. That, too, has started to sour just lately. Specifically, when the Australia coach suggested he should be eased out of the Big Bash League because he was, well, more hassle than he was worth.
“Time for [Melbourne Stars] to move KP on,” Darren Lehmann wrote on Twitter last month. “Spent too much money on him and didn’t win. Don’t want to listen to his excuses anymore.”
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Pietersen had, in fact, top scored for the Stars in the BBL, but Lehmann’s words lingered through a run of low scores with the bat that extended to the start of the HBL Pakistan Super League here in the UAE.
Three runs in three trips to the crease, and back-to-back golden ducks were the most inglorious start to the PSL.
He had already pulled the ladder up on the idea of playing at the Indian Premier League next month, too. Was this really the beginning of the end? He is 37 on his next birthday, after all.
And then all of a sudden, boom — or, BOOM! to borrow from his own digital vernacular — he goes and does something like he did for Quetta Gladiators against Lahore Qalandars on Saturday.
Eighty-eight from 42 balls. Eight sixes in all, including six from the last nine balls he faced. A five-wicket victory fashioned from nowhere. Chasing down 201, with seven delivery balls to spare. His team on top of the table again. Turns out KP is not done yet.
“I’ve come off a Big Bash where I’ve top scored in the Big Bash, so a couple of low scores doesn’t bother me,” Pietersen, in spiky mood after the game, said.
“It bothers a lot of other people talking about the game, but it doesn’t bother me. Runs don’t bother me, either.
“I do the processes the way I’ve always done my processes, and I think about the game the way I’ve always done it. If I’m successful, I’m successful.”
According to Cameron Delport, one of the defeated Qalandars batsmen, it is barely possible for bowlers to limit Pietersen in that kind of form. “The striking like that at the end from KP … you don’t get that every day,” Delport said.
Neither is one spectacular innings a guarantee of a return to form, though, according to Pietersen.
“No one deserves success in life,” the former England captain said. “You’ve got to work for it, you’ve got to enjoy it. In life, and in sport, you have more bad days than you have good days. I’ve just proved that.
“It doesn’t mean I’m going to get runs for the rest of the tournament, but it’s nice that we’ve got a victory.”
And Pietersen has no regrets on turning down a potentially lucrative few weeks in India, either.
“I’m going to play the next week or so, and then I’m done,” he said of his decision to skip the forthcoming IPL.
“I need to spend time with my family and kids. Cricket is not everything to me. I’ve got a young family and your family only grows up once. If I’m going to spend two months away from my daughter, who’s one year of age, no, not interested.”
Smith guides United to last-ball win
In the later match, Dwayne Smith’s half-century ensured Islamabad United bounced back from their rain-affected loss to Karachi Kings 24 hours earlier, as they beat Peshawar Zalmi by five wickets off the final delivery.
The West Indian opener scored 72 not out and shared in a stand worth 64 with Shane Watson that was only broken by a run out on the penultimate ball of the match in a thrilling finish at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Amad Butt came to the wicket and nervelessly drove the winning runs straight past Junaid Khan, the bowler.
A pair of bowlers from opposite ends of the experience scale had earlier helped restrict Peshawar to 136 for nine.
Mohammed Sami, who turns 36 on Friday, took three for 26, while Shadab Khan, an 18-year-old legspinner of rich promise, took two.
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Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
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• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
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Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
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Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
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Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
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Sole survivors
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Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
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Test squad: Azhar Ali (captain), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan(wicketkeeper), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah
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Keane on …
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
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Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Dubai World Cup draw
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