Pietersen flying home for birth of first child

BRIDGETOWN, (Reuters) – England batsman Kevin  Pietersen is flying home from the Twenty20 World Cup to be with  his wife for the birth of their first child and is planning to  jet back to the Caribbean in time for the semi-finals.

Pietersen smashed a superb 53 against South Africa yesterday to lead his side to a win that virtually secures a  place in the last four.

The confident strokeplayer then said he would be making an  8,000-plus mile, 17-hour round-trip this week to be with pop  singer and model wife Jessica.

“I’m flying in the next 24 hours and if there are no  complications I’ll come back a day before the semi,” Pietersen  said at the presentation ceremony.

“It’s my first child so it’s a hell of an exciting time for  me. I’ll be dashing across the Atlantic and hopefully dashing  back.”

The only game Pietersen is scheduled to miss is tomorrow’s  match with New Zealand, a game that could be meaningless for England if Pakistan beat South Africa earlier the same day.

The semi-finals will be played on Thursday and Friday in St  Lucia.

England all but ensured progress to the semis with victory over South Africa. They have a maximum four points in Group E.