Kevin Pietersen confirms retirement in heartfelt Instagram post

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen on Saturday officially confirmed the news of his retirement from cricket in a heartfelt post on social media platform, Instagram.

"Someone just tweeted me to tell me that I scored 30,000+ runs including 152 fifty's and 68 hundred in my pro career. Four Ashes wins. Home and away! T20 World Cup win. Beaten India in India. Home and away 100's in all major Test nations apart from Bangladesh. All dedicated to my family who has just been the most unreal supporters through thick and thin! I'm super proud of everything! Thank you for all the quite lovely msgs! I loved entertaining you all! Ciao, cricket! I love this game!," Pietersen wrote on Instagram.

The feisty batsman on March 16 had hinted at the news on microblogging platform on Twitter.

"BOOTS UP! Thank you!," read a tweet.

Last month, Pietersen said the current Pakistan Super League (PSL) would be his last appearance in a cricket tournament abroad.

However, it seems that the swashbuckling batsman has called time on his career entirely.

The 37-year-old, who represented Quetta Gladiators during the PSL, has played for a number of teams across the world since 2014, when he was told that he will no longer be a part of England's team.

Pietersen played for Delhi Daredevils and Rising Pune Supergiant in the Indian Premier League, Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, St Lucia Stars in the Caribbean and Sunfoil Dolphins in South Africa.

He also represented Surrey in county cricket.

In 104 Tests for England, Pietersen scored 8,181 runs at an average of 47.28, with 23 centuries and 35 fifties.

In 136 One Day Internationals (ODIs), he collected 4,440 runs with nine centuries and 25 half-centuries.

He also appeared in 37 T20Is, scoring 1,176 runs with seven half-centuries and was part of the World T20 winning team in 2010.

Former teammate Michael Vaughan was among the first to congratulate KP on his "fantastic career", even calling him "the best batsman" that he played with.

In February 2014, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) sacked Pietersen, because they could not be confident of his full support for captain Alastair Cook, according to The Guardian.