Twitter unites to congratulate Kevin Pietersen on his illustrious career

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen decided to end his illustrious cricket career after playing his last game in the PSL. The South-African born English cricketer earlier announced that he wouldn’t play cricket after the PSL. Fondly called KP by his fans, he has scored 13,797 runs in 277 international games at an average of over 44. KP also has 32 international centuries to his name.

Furthermore, he was the ‘Man of the Tournament’ when England won their first ever World T20 in 2010. Incidentally, this is their first ever World Cup as they never won one in the 50-over format. KP has left many fond memories for the fans and was also the inventor of the ‘Switch Hit’. He is one of the better batsmen who executes this shot to perfection. KP was a hard-hitting batsman who often made playing unorthodox shots look easy.

‘Boots Up! Thank You!’

This was how Kevin Pietersen announced retirement from professional cricket. He took to Twitter to announce his retirement and said that Family, Animals, and Golf are his priorities now. Even though KP has had an illustrious career, the final stages of his career were mauled due to various controversies. He wasn’t allowed to play for England National team and his international career had to end abruptly. He was told by the board in 2014 that he was no longer a part of their plans.

KP spent the latter part of his career playing for a number of club teams across the world. Pietersen was a game-changer and had the potential to take the game away from the opposition in no time. Kevin is believed to be so effective as he had long levers and he could get right to the pitch of the ball. Moreover, he briefly captained the English team in 2008-09.

BOOTS UP!
Thank you! ?

— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) March 16, 2018

Twitterati congratulated him on a glorious career. Right from the former cricketers, fans to the England Cricket Board, all wished him the best for his future endeavours.

Here is how Twitterati reacted:

Thank you @KP24! pic.twitter.com/qzSbEPfCMJ

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 17, 2018

I guess my #BringBackKP campaign is now officially retired too.
Kevin Pietersen was the best England batsman I've seen.
Though only the 2nd best to play at @NewickCC, as this picture confirms.
You were treated disgracefully @KP24 – but genius always annoys mediocre dullards. pic.twitter.com/dD3i3Xw6id

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 17, 2018

Kevin Pietersen. The man who never stopped believing. pic.twitter.com/ZbezwFA7Hg

— Cricpidia (@cricpidia) March 16, 2018

What a shame that Kevin Pietersen’s career has ended today without so much as a whimper.
He could have been given a Royal send off as one of Englands greatest Test & ODI batsmen.
But he was a tit. pic.twitter.com/yyqy9FGDt1

— Dave Ellis (@fullback03) March 16, 2018

Kevin Pietersen has confirmed he's retired from professional cricket ?

Over 30,000 runs scored
152 fifties
68 centuries

A destructive, supremely gifted batsmen. pic.twitter.com/XbGm2VUuda

— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) March 17, 2018

Congratulations @KP24 for your wonderful career and thanks for the great entertainment everywhere .it would be a honoured and proud moment to bowle to you but couldn’t happened. Have a bright and successful future ahead ?????? #Legend @KP24

— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) March 18, 2018

Congratulations on a outstanding career @KP24 Happy retirement mate!! https://t.co/tOQsyhs6V9

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) March 18, 2018

Congratulations @KP24 on a fantastic career… best player I was fortunate to play with & for me, the best batsman ever to play for England!!

— Stephen Harmison (@Harmy611) March 17, 2018

Thank you so much Shah!!! Means the world to me coming from you. I learnt from the best… You!
Lots and lots of love. https://t.co/vN9GWFxb8R

— Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) March 18, 2018

Well done on a fine career mate. From start to finish you entertained and performed. Enjoy retirement and all the new challenges you choose to take on. ??? https://t.co/3ZIV49bwnM

— Alec Stewart (@StewieCricket) March 18, 2018

I was lucky enough to have the best seat in the house to watch one of the best test innings ever that day! Well done @KP24 on everything you've done in the game https://t.co/UcCGX8RIlr

— Ashley Giles (@Gilo) March 17, 2018

For me, you are a character on and off the field @KP24 While many hold many records in the world of sport, only a few stand out and you are definitely one of them. Loads of luck with your 'save rhino' campaign & do win that one for future generations!Congrats & wish u happiness? https://t.co/dAFbyo4DgW

— aditi tyagi (@aditi_tyagi) March 18, 2018

@KP24 a Kickass Personality both on and off the field! Congratulations on your splendid career. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of your striking. #Respect ??

— Murali Vijay (@mvj888) March 18, 2018

Thanks for the memories, @KP24 ? pic.twitter.com/1P95xpkuJJ

— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) March 18, 2018

What a career @KP24! Really enjoyed playing with and against you. I hope you hit those disgusting rhino poachers for a 6! #SORAI

— Grant Elliott (@grantelliottnz) March 17, 2018

Well done mate..? https://t.co/YUGSisOpx1

— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) March 17, 2018

Thank you to @KP24 for all the entertainment. You were a special player. Your century in Mumbai is part of folklore. Wish you well.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 17, 2018

Congratulations @KP24 on having a career built around big ambitions n hi level achievements. Cricket will miss ur presence on the field 4 sure ? pic.twitter.com/sIXInYIQTL

— Ahmad Shahzad (@iamAhmadshahzad) March 17, 2018

Didn’t know you were still playing ?congratulations on an amazing career and Thankyou for having a positive impact on mine too , that’s the last time I’m being nice to you ? https://t.co/Fqc7PoVAph

— andrew flintoff (@flintoff11) March 17, 2018

Congrats on a phenomenal career, @KP24 !1 of England, legend! All the best on your next venture! You did light up the park wherever you played-your best cricketing moment was when you get the chance to open the batting with me, thank Piers for that! #Blessed #Peter #Champion ?? pic.twitter.com/T9cbakJDzi

— Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) March 17, 2018

Thank you Kevin Pietersen for your wonderful career and those switch hits which you brought to Cricket…

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) March 17, 2018

Obviously Kevin Pietersen wasn't perfect. But you know what.. in an age where Test cricket is fighting for its life [supposedly], cutting short the career of an entertainer like Pietersen was criminal. Always thought the ECB robbed fans of* at least 2 more years of KP.

— Jack Mendel ? (@JackMendel4) March 16, 2018

So Kevin Pietersen retires, easily the most gifted batsman I've ever seen for England and such a shame we were denied his talents the last few years

— Chris Thornley (@thornley29) March 17, 2018

Kevin Pietersen retires from all cricket
Highest Test batting averages vs AUS when both Shane Warne & Glenn McGrath played (QUAL: 10 inns)
57.4 KEVIN PIETERSEN
51.0 Brian Lara
50.6 Saeed Anwar
@englandcricket #cricket @CricketAus

— Swamp (@sirswampthing) March 17, 2018

And finally Kevin Pietersen’s beautiful career comes to an end! English Cricket will never witness any player like you! The birth of switch hit was KPs biggest deal with cricket and his masterpiece 186 in the Mumbai Test was the best inning ever played for England @KP24 #PSL2018

— Aleyy Uj (@Aleyyu1) March 16, 2018

Kevin Pietersen was a run-scoring breath-taking piss-boiling phenomenon. Maybe no longer the best England batsman I've seen but still comfortably the most thrilling and definitely still my favourite. Should've been the first Englishman to 10000, but let's cherish the 8000 we got.

— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) March 17, 2018

Well done on a fantastic career Champ! Happy retirement! https://t.co/goO6gm6Nqx

— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) March 18, 2018

Hard to pick.. but my top 5 @KP24 Test innings:
5. 109 vs WI (purely as I saw it live) https://t.co/N6Msp4Qaw7
4. 151 vs Sri Lanka https://t.co/dPaydt9NBP
3. 158 vs Aus https://t.co/LRPTJl9FEi
2. 186 vs India https://t.co/5BPLrG5H38
1. 149 vs S Africa: https://t.co/J9fiziHUaA

— Jack Mendel ? (@JackMendel4) March 16, 2018

? Kevin Pietersen calls time on his cricket career.

??????? The greatest batsman to pull on the England shirt? pic.twitter.com/8jnL9VLLZp

— Ladbrokes (@Ladbrokes) March 17, 2018

Kevin Pietersen was the best Batsman that England have had in my lifetime and hands down the most exciting player we had. Although that Skunk haircut, even for 2005, was arguably the worst sporting hairdo of a generation ? All the best @KP24#KP #KevinPietersen

— Dean Ashton (@DeantheDream84) March 17, 2018

Nothing sums up Kevin Pietersen's cricket career more than desperately tweeting his retirement with a photo of a first-class aeroplane seat having played his final game in a non-descript T20 tournament.

— Simon Smith (@mistersimons) March 17, 2018

I replayed a magnificent and one of my favorite innings by a foreign batsmen on indian soil- 186 by Kevin Pietersen
Dear @KP24 you've been a treat to watch for us cricket fans
I still miss your batting especially in test cricket

— Kiran Vaddi (@imvaddi) March 17, 2018

Kevin Pietersen could well be a cunt, I like him personally but never doubt how good he was. Unbelievable batsman

— MP (@martinp10984) March 17, 2018

And that, apparently, is it. Quetta v Islamabad on Thursday was Kevin Pietersen's 200th and last Twenty20, having played on that very first day of the T20 Cup in 2003.
Twenty years and a few days since his first-class debut. Thank you @KP24 for two decades of brilliant cricket. pic.twitter.com/EKvA28j79I

— Rick Eyre on cricket (@rickeyrecricket) March 16, 2018

Kevin Pietersen retires! Thank you @KP24 for the childhood of so many. We've grew up seeing you play. You entertained us well. Wishing you all the very best for your second innings. ✌️

— Akash Jain (@akash207) March 17, 2018