Pietersen Enjoy The Spirit Of The Indian Premier League

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The Indian Premier League begins in Cape Town today, just 29 days after the threat of terrorism convinced representative to ship it overseas.

All eight franchises will be in action at Newlands and the players, who took part in an open-top multi-bus parade on Thursday, are thrilled to be here.

Even South African-born Kevin Pietersen, captain of Bangalore Royal Challengers, was moved to describe the fans who hiss him four years ago, when he represented England here, as 'kind, friendly people.

But then last year's inaugural IPL in India, won by Shane Warne's Rajasthan Royals off the last ball, fattened bank balances to such an amount that a place with one of the franchises has become a no-brainer.

Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff, who will represent the Chennai Super Kings, were valued at a record $1.55million (about £1.1m) at February's auction in Goa.

Pietersen said yesterday: 'It's fantastic to be here. I'm like a child playing with all these legends. I just want to enjoy myself and learn from them.

'Hopefully, a lot of the England boys will do the same and take lessons home and compete at a good level in the World Twenty20. I'll be picking a few brains.'