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KP faces Twenty20 baby-dash

London - England's Kevin Pietersen has been given the green light to make a baby-dash home during the World Twenty20.

According to The Sun website, the England star was on Monday named in a provisional 30-man squad, which will be whittled down to 15 by the end of this month.

Pietersen and wife Jessica Taylor are expecting their first child during the tournament, which runs from April 30 to May 16 in the Caribbean.

England's premier batter spoke about the subject on the recent tour of South Africa, insisting nothing will prevent him being by Jessica's side at the birth.

But with the tournament being held in the West Indies, Pietersen would face a race to make it back to London when singer and model Taylor goes into labour.

However, national selector Geoff Miller is prepared for England to be left a man short, even if it occurs on the eve of a key match.

He said: "We are not setting a precedent here, we strongly advocate players being solid family-wise so we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

"There are all kinds of possibilities with the birth of a child. It could be at any stage, so we will play it by ear.

"The baby is due later in the World Twenty20 so it wouldn't delay him coming out with the squad at the start. Kevin is fine with it."


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