MELBOURNE: Former England player Kevin Pietersen has announced he will retire from all forms of cricket within the next 12 months.
Speaking to Australian media after his Melbourne Stars lost their fourth straight Big Bash League game, the Test great was asked whether he had given any thought about his return to the club for the following year, with his current contract expiring at the end of this season.
Pietersen was unequivocal in his response.
"I won't be playing next season," he said. "I'm done.” Pietersen said he made the decision recently. "You get to that time in your career when you think 'do I want this?'
"I want it desperately at the moment ... but I don't think I will want it in 10 months' time.
"I just don't see myself wanting to play cricket in December," he added.
Pietersen said he would carry out commitments in the Pakistan Super League and a Twenty20 tournament in South Africa later this year, but would be done by late 2018.
Kevin Pietersen to call time on playing career in 2018
Kevin Pietersen to call time on playing career in 2018
Andreeva, Bencic receive walkovers in Dubai
- Mirra Andreeva and Belinda Bencic were both beneficiaries of second-round walkovers at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai on Tuesday, as Jessica Pegula also reached the last 16
DUBAI: Mirra Andreeva and Belinda Bencic were both beneficiaries of second-round walkovers at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai on Tuesday, as Jessica Pegula also reached the last 16.
Russian teenager Andreeva, who received a first-round bye, will face either German Ella Seidel or Romanian Jaqueline Cristian for a quarter-final place after Daria Kasatkina pulled out with a hip injury.
In-form Czech youngster Sara Beljek, who won a title in Abu Dhabi earlier this month, also withdrew with an abdominal injury, handing Bencic a spot in round three.
American fourth seed Pegula cruised through with a 6-4, 6-0 thrashing of Varvara Grachev and will next play compatriot Iva Jovic.
The tournament in Dubai, one of the 10 WTA 1000 competitions, has been severely hit by the withdrawals of world number one Aryna Sabalenka and six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek.
Second seed Amanda Anisimova had also been given a walkover on Monday after her second-round opponent Barbora Krejcikova pulled out.
Later Tuesday, American Coco Gauff starts her campaign against Russian Anna Kalinskaya.
