Kevin Pietersen talks to England about one-day cricket return in an attempt to take part in World Twenty20 Time is running out for this tournament with the selectors meeting on Friday to choose the 30-man squad which has to be trimmed to 15 by Aug 17. Flower will want a guarantee from Pietersen that he will commit himself to England's one-day plans for the foreseeable future, possibly until the World Cup in 2015. He will be wary of granting Pietersen a return for the World Twenty20 only for him to retire again after the tournament. In an interview earlier this week Pietersen left open the possibility of returning to one-day cricket for England and the meeting this week suggests he is a lot closer to making that move than first thought. Pietersen said: "Never say never. I'm a lot older and more mature than a few years ago, so you never know. I'll never say no, but the schedule would have to be a hell of a lot different for me to come back. Wait and see. I still hope there might be a compromise for the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. England could offer a schedule in one-day cricket that includes regular breaks for Pietersen, something that is becoming increasingly common, with James Anderson and Stuart Broad even rested for a Test match this summer. Their eight successive wins against the West Indies and Australia in 50-over cricket since Pietersen's retirement has strengthened Flower's hand but the head coach will also be aware that his side has to put up a creditable defence of the World Twenty20 trophy in Sri Lanka, a country where they have struggled in one-day cricket in the past. Pietersen's place was filled by Alex Hales in the one Twenty20 match played since his retirement and the young Nottinghamshire opener made an excellent contribution, scoring an exciting 99. But Pietersen remains ranked the world's best Twenty20 player and his century in the IPL earlier this year for Delhi Daredevils underlined his ability to win matches. Where England will not back down is rewording the central contracts. Flower made it absolutely clear after Pietersen's retirement that protecting the status of 50-over cricket is vital to the ECB. He feared that five or six other players would follow Pietersen into retirement if they were allowed to give up the 50-over format but free to continue in the much more exciting, and financially rewarding, Twenty20 game. Pietersen's central contract is due for renewal in September and as a player available in only one form of the game he may well receive reduced terms from the ECB while they retain control of his schedule, something which would leave him requiring the board's permission to play in Twenty20 leagues around the world. Pietersen has been a vocal critic of the international schedule but is adamant he will not give up his $2 million IPL deal with the Delhi Daredevils. But it is not 50-over cricket that eats into his time at the IPL. It is Test cricket which is scheduled for March and May next year when England play series away and at home against New Zealand.