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KP declares: 'I am South African'

Cape Town - Ricky Ponting used a commentary stint with ex-England batsman Kevin Pietersen to grill the former international about many revelations made by Pietersen in his recently released autobiography.

Ponting and Pietersen were in the commentary box during a Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat Big Bash fixture and after a number of topics were discussed Ponting brought up KP’s choice to leave South Africa.

Pietersen admitted that he had never stayed up late at night to second guess his decision to leave South Africa to ply his trade in England.

“Never. Absolutely not.” responded Pietersen to Ponting's probing question about star batsman's move to England.

KP said that leaving South Africa was one of the easiest decisions he has ever had to make before adding: “I wouldn’t be sitting here, I don’t think, if I hadn’t left South Africa."

Pietersen then continued: “I love South Africa. I love South African people and I believe I am South African."

KP then told Ponting that he lives in England, played for England and did his best to win cricket games for England but “at the end of the day mum and dad live in South Africa”.

Despite Pietersen’s love for South Africa, he told Ponting: “I have got such an enjoyable and such a wonderful life that I would, never ever ever, say that I’d have preferred to stay in South Africa."

Watch the full interview by clicking here.

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