Pietersen to star in ANIB Reliable Trophy T20 cricket tournament

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen will be the star attraction at the inaugural ANIB Reliable Trophy T20 Corporate Cricket Tournament which commenced on Friday September 4 at the Fairgrounds Oval, Dubai Men’s College in Dubai Academic City.

The three-week tournament will see a total of 12 regional teams competing in league and knockout format to be played on weekends.

Pietersen is scheduled to attend the final of the tournament to be held on September 25.

“The T20 format is a true test of nerves, lightning reflexes, talent and intelligent use of the playing conditions,” said Daniel Jason, Al Nabooda Insurance Brokers’s Senior Vice President (Brand & Media) at a press conference.

“Kevin Pietersen is excited to be part of the initiative and will not only be giving away trophies and awards but also play in a very unique exhibition game just before the finals,” he added.

The exhibition game will feature KP’s XI against the ANIB XI, according to Jason.

Pietersen will captain select cricket-loving CEO’s from the region and take to the field in an attempt to thrill the crowd with his flamboyant stroke play.

“The ANIB Reliable Trophy is an extension of our passion for the great game and provides a fantastic opportunity for corporate players and teams to continue playing the game in the right spirit and also learn from the best,” said Sukumar Rajagopal, Managing Director of Al Nabooda Insurance Brokers.

K. Rajaram, Chief Executive Officer of Al Nabooda Automobiles, described the tournament as further acknowledgement of the region’s rich cricketing heritage.

“The ANIB Reliable Trophy brings together cricketing talent from across the UAE, while providing the platform for regional teams to shine under quality match-playing conditions. This tournament emphasizes our endeavour to promote popular sports activities and intelligent performance,” he said.

Veteran UAE umpire Tariq Butt, who will be officiating and organizing the matches, said that initiatives such as the ANIB Reliable Corporate Cricket Tournament have contributed a great deal towards improving the standard of domestic cricket and have helped in raising the bar considerably.

"In that sense, the ANIB Reliable Cricket Tournament should be looked as a step in the right direction,” Butt added. “Such competitive sports create the right environment where the most skilled players are given the opportunity, the encouragement and the necessary material support to shine and improve the quality of the game.”

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