Got to look past KP, says Broad

Whenever the Kevin Pietersen issue crops up in press conferences, the uneasiness the English squad members find themselves in is quite apparent.

It was no different when Stuart Broad, their captain, was asked to talk about the state of the dressing room in Petersen’s absence.

The all-rounder, for obvious reasons, began saying ‘no’ when asked if the English dressing room was happier with the right-hander out of the squad ahead of their Friday’s Group ‘A’ encounter against Afgha­nistan.

“KP has  been around for a long time. He has done fantastically well for us. It’s a matter with the ECB at the moment that he’s not here. We have to put up with that and get on with it. We 15 guys who are in the squad are excited to be here, up for the challenge and that’s what you want coming into a tournament.

Everyone’s excited about the prospect of starting the World Cup, being in a World Cup, putting an England shirt on and as a captain, that’s exactly what you want and hopefully we will have a really good three weeks,” he explained.

Broad termed Afgh­anistan as an exciting bunch.

“Anyone who would have watched last night’s game will know the dangers they bring.”