Former England captain Kevin Pietersen, in Mumbai for IPL 2026 commentary, praised the city's air quality in a tweet. His post sparked allegations of it being a paid promotion, which Pietersen vehemently denied, calling the suggestion 'mad' and clarifying his genuine appreciation for the low AQI levels.
Former England captain turned commentator Kevin Pietersen slammed the allegation of a paid tweet on lauding the air quality of Mumbai. Pietersen is part of the commentary panel for the official broadcaster of the ongoing IPL 2026 and is in Mumbai for his broadcasting duties.
Pietersen was recently spotted playing gully cricket in Mumbai, where a video of him playing on the streets went viral, showcasing his relaxed, fun side ahead of the IPL clash. The former England captain was part of the IPL commentary panel for the clash between the Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, March 28.
Kevin Pietersen took up commentary duties after stepping down from Delhi Capitals’ mentorship ahead of the IPL 2026, saying he couldn’t commit the time the role demands and will focus on commentary instead.
‘The Best I’ve Ever Experienced’
Amid his IPL 2026 broadcasting duties, Kevin Pietersen put out a tweet, lauding the air quality of Mumbai, saying it's ‘the best I’ve ever experienced.’
Taking to his X handle (formerly Twitter), the former England captain praised the city’s clean environment, crediting local authorities for their efforts.
“The air quality in Mumbai is so good. It’s the best I’ve ever experienced!” Pietersen wrote.
“Congrats to the leadership for putting in place the necessary measures to achieve this outstanding air quality,” he added.
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Kevin Pietersen’s tweet on Mumbai’s air quality came when the city recorded unusually low Air Quality Index (AQI) levels, with parts of the city seeing readings as low as 21, placing it in the “good” category and prompting widespread attention online.
Pietersen Slams Paid Tweet Claim
Kevin Pietersen’s praise for Mumbai’s air quality sparked claims on social media that it was a paid promotion. One X user shared a screenshot showing the city’s AQI at 109 and asked the former England captain if he had been paid for the tweet, while calling his opinion ‘shocking’.
To which Pietersen responded that he was not paid, calling the suggestion ‘mad’, and clarified that the AQI was actually around 40, which he found fantastic.
“You think I get paid to post about air quality? Are you f*****g mad?!” Kevin Pietersen wrote on X.
“When I notice something and it really stands out and it means something to me, I’ll tweet it! Plus - that number is incorrect. It’s around 40 today which is fantastic!” he added.
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Kevin Pietersen is expected to return for the commentary duties when the Punjab Kings take on the Gujarat Titans at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Tuesday, March 31.
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