Kevin Pietersen, former England batsman and Melbourne Stars player, has launched an attack on Cricket Australia for the clash of the Big Bash League (BBL) and international fixtures of the Australian cricket team, as it doesn’t allow a player to feature in the T20 league.
Pietersen seems irked by the fact that when his BBL team, Melbourne Stars, will be up for the do or die game against Sydney Sixers, they’ll miss out on the services of five crucial players, who are currently in the ODI squad for Pakistan series.
Pietersen wants Cricket Australia to organise the tournament at a time when there are no international fixtures, “I just find it bitterly disappointing that a guy can’t play in a fixture for us, which is a big fixture, to be sitting in a hotel room,” Pietersen said.
“I flew to Bloemfontein in South Africa in between two Test matches a couple of months ago to actually play.
“Stoinis might not even play (for Australia tomorrow). He certainly would (tonight) and I find it bitterly disappointing that he can’t play for the Stars.
“We were told he was going to play and now he’s been pulled out of our set up.
“I don’t understand the reasons. I find it strange and on a personal level I’m disappointed,” he added.
Pietersen’s concern is genuine as his team will not have the likes of Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner, Adam Zampa, Peter Handscomb and Marcus Stoinis. All of them are a part of the Australia’s ODI team, that is currently leading Pakistan 2-1 in the five-match series.