Pietersen has hit one half century in three one-day innings in the current series

Kevin Pietersen believes England's World Cup campaign has been helped by injuries to some of the team's players.

Bowlers Graeme Swann (back), Stuart Broad (stomach), and Tim Bresnan (calf) have all had time out with problems.

Broad is back with England in Australia while Swann and Bresnan, who should be fit to join the 15-man squad for next month's World Cup, are at home.

"The niggles have allowed a few of the bigger players to go home and recharge batteries," Pietersen told BBC Sport.

"Obviously if it keeps them out [of the World Cup] it's not a good thing but I don't see any harm in the fact that some of the players have had a few days off.

"They will be recharged and ready. It's a good thing."

Pietersen has so far accumulated 90 runs, including a top score of 78, in three innings in the one-day series against Australia, which the tourists trail 3-1 with three games to play.

The fifth match takes place in Brisbane on Sunday with England needing to follow up their win in Adelaide on Wednesday to keep the series alive.

"We'll be looking to fight as hard as we fought in Adelaide and play a bit better than we did in Adelaide and hopefully get a victory," he added.

"We were 3-0 down so to fight all the way to the end and turn out in Perth (the seventh match in the series) with what could be a final would be incredible."

The 30-year-old Pietersen is looking forward to having a break before the World Cup - which is being held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - begins on 19 February.

"It's been a tough winter but we've had an amazing time," he continued. "Winning the Ashes has helped a lot.

"We've got nine days until we get home and then there's a quick turnaround but we will be able to recharge our batteries with four days at home."

England will play warm-up games against Pakistan and Canada in Dhaka - which Swann, Broad and Bresnan are expected to be fit for - before beginning their quest to win a first World Cup on 22 February against the Netherlands.

They also face West Indies, South Africa, Ireland and host nations Bangladesh and India in their group.

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Pietersen said: "The way our skill levels have improved over the last 12 months, anything is possible with this team.

"We want to win the World Cup. We won one last year [Twenty20], won the Ashes and beat Australia on Australia Day. It would be an amazing year if we won the World Cup."

Pietersen added he was disappointed not to be facing the India at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on 27 February.

The match, England's second in the tournament, was scheduled to take place at the legendary ground, which held 90,000 before renovation, but the International Cricket Council has ruled that it is not ready.

"I'd loved to have played there and all the players would," stated Pietersen, who has never played at the ground.

"It's one of those days in your career that you really look forward to and when we saw the schedule we were buzzing about it.

"Most of the team are pretty upset but it might work to our advantage that we only have 50,000 [Indian supporters] against us."

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