Dubai: The Al Nabooda Insurance Brokers (ANIB) cricket teams, inspired by tips from former England’s legendary batsman Kevin Pietersen, are on a winning spree in the UAE’s domestic cricket and will make their ‘A’ division debut in the Bukhatir League.

ANIB is associated with the KP24 Foundation, the charity foundation set up by Pietersen.

On a visit to Dubai, Pietersen gave invaluable tips to the players of ANIB’s XI on Top and ANIB Bulls teams. The result has been that XI on Top, led by Akshay Kadalilae and the Bulls team captained by Neville Pereira, have improved tremendously. The team’s fast bowler Zahoor Khan is the UAE national team’s fast bowler.

Pietersen stressed the importance of fitness and how to tackle a loss of form. “Addressing the players Pietersen said fitness is the key to improve one’s own game and also everyone must play the game with fun, enjoying every moment. As tip to players who slip out of form, he said to focus on practice as form and out of form is a cycle and by practice one can easily regain form,” remarked Daniel Jason, senior vice president ANIB (Brand & Media) who had nurtured the team as manager.

ANIB XI on Top are in the finals of the Umm Al Quwain Municipality Cup and Advantage Motors Cup, the Malayalee Premier League quarter-final and top the table in the ongoing Karnataka Premier League after sweeping the titles in the UAE’s popular community tournaments.

“To ensure Pietersen’s emphasis on fitness we have Moshin Arif, who played for Glamorgan Cricket Club first and second division and ECB certified Level 2 coach, working as our fitness coach. He also provides tips on batting and bowling,” said Pereira, captain of the Bulls team. Sukumar Rajagopal, the Managing Director of ANIB, who is the wicketkeeper of the team, said: “We practice at the Al Nasr Leisureland and that has helped us to maintain our dominance in Royal Sun Alliance Trophy tournament for corporate teams for four consecutive years.”

Opener Mahesh Shetty of XI on Top is an explosive batsman and sparkles in most matches, giving a quick start, while Zahoor Khan picks up early wickets with his pace. The team is now sponsored by Porshce Centre Dubai. The XI on Top, after winning the UAQ ‘B’ Division Tournament and Legends Trophy in 2015, won UAE’s top community tournaments like Kerala Cricket League (KCL) and Karnataka Premier Cricket league (KPCL) in 2016. “This is our company’s 10th year and our cricket team’s fifth year and we are keen to raise our standards,” said Jason, as the team gears up to meet Hologram in the UAQ Municipality Cup final and clinched the final slot in the Advantage Motors Cup. Shetty had scores of 61, 88 and 49n.o, Ramveer Rai had knocks of 46 and proud regular three wicket spells, while Mohammad Imran hit an unbeaten 103.