Pietersen takes IPL opportunities ahead of World Twenty20
Kevin Pietersen’s 62 from 29 balls for the Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Rajasthan Royals was heartening both for the IPL team and for the England batsman ahead of the World Twenty20.
While Bangalore’s seam bowlers set up the five-wicket win by restricting Shane Warne’s team to an eminently chaseable 130-6, it was KP who stood tall in that pursuit, smashing 10 fours and two sixes on the way to his second highest score in the IPL.
It was a man-of-the-match performance from Pietersen, and from an individual perspective provides compelling evidence for his inclusion in the playing XI, something that despite his $1.5million IPL price tag has not been guaranteed.
Indeed his unbeaten 66, Pietersen’s highest IPL score, against the Kings XI Punjab earlier in the season did not have that effect, with the South-African born batsmen omitted from the Bangalore XI for the team’s next match.
Looking ahead to the World Twenty20, Pietersen can see the benefits the players who have competed in the IPL can bring to the England team in the Caribbean, with the 29-year-old has been widely reported to have said that England’s bowlers have missed out on a valuable experience by deciding not to put their hands up for a stint in the IPL.
It’s an opportunity that batsmen such as Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara and new addition to the England squad Michael Lumb have grasped with both hands, but one that bowlers such as Stuart Broad and James Anderson have overlooked.
From a Bangalore team perspective, yesterday’s knock by Pietersen brings his side one valuable step closer to locking in a semi-final place. The victory, with 26 balls to spare, has propelled the side to second place on the IPL points table with seven wins and six losses, and has done no harm to their net run rate either.
For Bangalore, along with four other teams fighting for a top four finish, including Rajasthan, the equation was simple with two matches left to play. Win them, and the semi-finals beckon, lose and chances are that it’s lights out on season three of the competition.
Anil Kumble’s side are by no means assured of their semi-final place yet, and will need to defeat top side the Mumbai Indians in their final match of the regular season on April 17th to cement their place in top four without relying on other results to fall their way.
Regardless of whether Bangalore secure victory in that match, and with it a guaranteed semi-final place, it seems that Pietersen will be chalking the experience up as a win as he casts his mind towards rejoining his England teammates ahead of the World Twenty20.
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