KP backs UAE to become cricket hotbed

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  • New role: Kevin Pietersen will don the mantle of a coach at his academy in Dubai.

    Kevin Pietersen will be strengthening his UAE association with a slew of projects that includes his cricket academy and a beach club in Dubai. He will also be launching his KP24 Foundation at a gala dinner in Dubai next month.

    Pietersen, whose England career ended abruptly in February following the Ashes debacle in Australia, will be stepping into a new role as coach at his academy which is expected to start in January. While laying bare his UAE plans, Pietersen tells Matt Monaghan that his ultimate goal is to unearth a superstar from the region through his academy. 

    You are here to open the KP24 Foundation. Tell me more about it?
    It’s something I’m so excited about. Our aim being to support under privileged children around the globe and provide them better chances in sport and in life. Our fundraising, scholarships and donation programmes are designed to help give those most in need, the very best opportunities possible. These projects are so exciting for me and I feel so privileged to be able to give something back to the sport which has been so amazing to me. 
     
    You are also planning to open a cricket academy in Dubai. How excited are you about the challenge?
    It’s something that’s always been in the back of my mind, and now we’re in the final stages of preparation, it’s so exciting. What I’m really looking forward to is seeing how these children develop in all aspects of their game. They’ll be taught in the same way I was coached and every child, no matter what age or ability, will be encouraged to celebrate their individuality in the way they play cricket.

    Of course, the basics are fundamentally important – as a foundation is essential in any sport – but the children will be given pointers on how to improve and express themselves, rather than confines. I’m so excited about it, as coaching is such a love of mine and I’m very fortunate to have this opportunity to try and help out some up-and-coming cricketers.

    How hands on will you be in Dubai? Whenever you decide to hang up your bat, are coaching and mentoring areas you see yourself increasingly moving into?
    I’ll be very hands on, definitely. Coaching up-and-coming cricketers is something I have a huge interest in and have great passion for. There’s no point in starting something like this if I were to remove myself from it. On England duty I really loved my time working with the younger batsmen and the bowlers, and I think that’ll show here. We’re also going to get some huge superstars from the cricketing world to come and lend their knowledge and advice, which will be amazing!

    How do you see cricket developing in the UAE? Is it the sport’s next hotbed?
    I saw first-hand the passion for cricket when I played over here and I’m sure we’ll see the sport continue to develop over here. The crowd was absolutely electric and if that can translate through to the participation side of things, then the UAE certainly will be a hotbed. It’s got everything going for it over here and I’m desperate to see cricket continuing to expand.
     
    Is the ultimate goal of the Dubai academy to unearth the region’s first cricketing superstar?
    That’s the dream! We’re hoping to unearth cricketing gems from all countries, as the Academy really is a global venture. Nothing would give me more pride than seeing one (or hopefully more) of these guys making the step up. But ultimately, the first priority is making sure the children enjoy themselves, and if they’re doing that, then development will happen naturally.
     
    You seem to have a real connection to Dubai, do you see yourself spending an increasing amount of time here in the future?
    For sure. I love the place! As well as the Academy, and the Foundation Gala dinner which is taking place on the 6th November at the Grand Hyatt, I’m also launching a new beach club, which I’m part of. It’s called Eden and it’s located at the Rixos Hotel on the Palm.

    We’ve really gone all out to try and put together the definition of laid-back luxury, offering guests a combination of relaxation, recreation, and entertainment. You want to see the place, it’s stunning. So it’s fair to say, I’ll be over here a fair amount.
     
    How inspiring is the thought of getting back to playing cricket and letting your performances do the talking in the Big Bash with Melbourne?
    I really can’t wait to get going out in the Big Bash. It’s a brilliant competition; I’ve watched loads of it in the past, so it’ll be awesome to be involved. I’ve brought all my training kit out here to Dubai, so I’ll be hitting the nets while I’m here, to make sure I hit the ground running.

    How do you find the lifestyle of the travelling T20 cricketer? Do you miss the stability of being attached to a county, now your Surrey deal has expired?
    There are some amazing competitions around the world, like the IPL, Big Bash, Natwest T20, and I’m very fortunate I can travel around playing the sport I love. I’m still very much a Surrey man and over the coming months will be sitting down with them to talk about future plans.
     
    What is next for Kevin Pietersen?
    Who knows?! That’s the thing in life, you never know what’s around the corner. At the moment I’m just trying to enjoy everything to the maximum, as nothing lasts forever. I’ll just continue playing the sport I love for as long as I can, and enjoy the new adventure with the Academy, Foundation and Eden.

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