Kevin Pietersen, the former England cricket captain, expressed disappointment in England's performance in the recent World Cup, labelling it as unexpected. He admitted to backing India in the final against Australia, a wager he ultimately lost as Australia secured their sixth World Cup title on November 19.
Reflecting on Australia's strength as a team, Pietersen acknowledged their formidable nature and ability to elevate their game during crucial moments, particularly in the final. He praised Australia's competitiveness, stating that their performance with both bat and ball was exceptional, making it challenging for India to match up. Pietersen also highlighted how unexpected England's early exit from the tournament was, especially after initially predicting India and England as the potential finalists.
“Unfortunately, when you come up against Australia like I have done many times... Australia is a formidable competitor and they have the ability to turn up the heat in the final and get the job done. They are very very competitive guys and unfortunate for India, Australia were brilliant on the field and brilliant with the ball. And when they came out to bat, 230 or 240 was never ever enough," Pietersen said.
Currently participating in the Legends League T20 cricket tournament, Pietersen commended the league for providing retired players with the opportunity to return to the field. The tournament features six teams comprising over 100 former international players, and the matches are being held at the resurrected Maulana Azad Stadium after a gap of more than three decades.
While Pietersen appreciated the chance to compete again, he expressed some dissatisfaction with the low-scoring game during the tournament's initial match at the M A Stadium. He emphasised the audience's desire for competitive cricket and hoped for better conditions, stating that the pitch wasn't suitable for T20 cricket due to the low run-scoring nature of the game. However, he remained optimistic for improved conditions in subsequent matches.
"The wicket (in the M A Stadium) is not good for T20 cricket. You want to see more runs than see the balls rolling along the ground. Let us see if the wicket is better (for the next match) that will be good. For the teams to finish the game in the 20th over as a few (matches) had gone, it is great for the competition," he said.