England legend Kevin Pietersen has delivered his verdict on who the best T20 players of all-time are ahead of the new IPL season.
Pietersen was one of several current and former cricket stars to name their picks for the greatest players across five separate categories by Betway. He was joined by former West Indies quick Ian Bishop, ex-India batter Aakash Chopra and current South Africa stars Rassie van der Dussen and Lungi Ngidi.
Pietersen named West Indians Chris Gayle and Sunil Narine as the greatest six-hitter and spinner respectively in T20 history. "His pick-up over mid-on, just the flat-bat smack, it’s so dismissive," he said of Gayle.
"Looking at him from the top of your run-up, it looks like he’s standing right next to you," agreed Ngidi. "One swing and it’s out of the stadium."
Bishop added: "He changed and helped evolve the way T20 batting went and that’s why I see him as the GOAT of T20 batting." On Narine, Pietersen admitted he had "no idea which way it was going" when he faced the mystery spinner.
"Sunil Narine because of his variations," he said. "I had no idea which way it was going." Chopra added: "It’s like going to a foreign country and not understanding anything, you are completely at sea. Somebody bowling a maiden super over? It takes some doing."
Pietersen unsurprisingly named Sri Lanka legend Lasith Malinga as the best death bowler, saying: "He was as good as it gets when it comes to death bowling." And Van der Dussen was in agreement, adding: "I’ve never faced anything like that before in my life."
Current India star Virat Kohli also came in for praise as the format's most consistent run-scorer. "Virat Kohli just always seems to be making runs," Van der Dussen said. "He has sort of a simple technique, a classic technique, which helps him in Test cricket. But he also has the power game."
"He actually changed the perception completely that 30 is the new 50 in T20 cricket because he was averaging 50 for a very long time," added Chopra.
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