Pietersen, Shoaib to go head to head in Abu Dhabi

Former stars will captain teams as part of annual Sprite Cricket Stars tournament

Cricket fans in Abu Dhabi are in for a treat on Friday when Kevin Pietersen, the former England batsman, takes on the Shoaib Akhtar, the ex-Pakistan bowler widely regarded as the fastest of all time, in an exhibition match.

The legendary duo will captain two teams between 5pm and 5.30pm as part of the annual Sprite Cricket Stars Tournament at Shaikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The event, which has been accredited by the Emirates Cricket Board as the UAE’s official grassroots cricket tournament, has involved a series of indoor and outdoor matches.

Held in collaboration with the Smart Life Foundation, the fourth season has engaged 24 labour accommodations and more than 420 teams, including members of the public. Akhtar is taking part in his capacity as ambassador for Sprite Cricket Stars.

Internationally, the Coca-Cola Company has sponsored the ‘Sprite 24/7 Project’, a cricket initiative that was launched by Pietersen’s KP24 Foundation, a non-profit organisation established to help underprivileged teens globally. The project, which kicked off on November 24, involves a 10-day cricketing camp and tournament in Dubai for seven teams hailing from less fortunate communities across the globe.

The project offers teenage players training sessions with professional players and coaches, including KP, before representing their countries in a global T20 tournament in front of 10,000 spectators at Shaikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.