Mumbai Indians batting Kieron Pollard proved that he has plenty of firepower left in him even at the age of 37 years and after retiring from international cricket. The former MI and West Indies captain Pollard turned back the clock in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 2024 match, smashing four sixes in the penultimate over to lift Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan-owned Trinibago Knight Riders to a four-wicket win over Saint Lucia Kings on Tuesday night in Gros Islet.
The Knight Riders need 27 to win off the last 2 overs with 4 wickets in hand but Pollard smashed four sixes off Matthew Forde to settle the issue with plenty to spare. In the process, the TKR captain completed his fifty off just 19 balls – which included 7 sixes. Left-arm spinner Akeal Hossain finished the game off the first delivery of the final over with a boundary.
Kieron Pollard is awarded @Dream11 MVP! Well done Polly #CPL24 #SLKvTKR #CricketPlayedLouder #BiggestPartyInSport #Dream11 pic.twitter.com/AASf9KO7mC
— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 11, 2024
After the Kings posted 187/6, the Knight Riders were well on track thanks to a belligerent 57 from 33 balls from Shaqkere Parris before stuttering in the middle overs. After being routed for just 100 by Guyana Amazon Warriors, the Kings paced their innings well after being sent in to bat.
Opener Johnson Charles got the Kings off to a flier with two sixes in three balls to spoil the 23th birthday of quick Jayden Seales. Skipper Faf du Plessis also chanced his arm and was dropped twice before his middle stump was knocked over by left-arm spinner Waqar Salamkheil in the eighth over.
The Kings went through a lull in the middle overs, with Sunil Narine enjoying the spin-friendly conditions to finish with 2/13 from four overs. But Roston Chase (56 not out from 40 balls) stepped up in the latter overs and powered the Kings to a strong total.
The Knight Riders needed a fast start and Narine obliged before falling to debutant left-arm quick Khari Campbell, who picked up the wicket with his sixth delivery. But Campbell was brought back to earth when he misjudged a skier in a lucky let off for Jason Roy on 10. Campbell’s confidence was shaken and he succumbed to an assault from a rampaging Parris who cracked a trio of sixes in the fifth over.
Parris raced to 31 off 9 balls as the Knight Riders continued to soar above the required run rate. He fittingly hit a six to reach his half-century off 20 balls as the Knight Riders reached triple figures in the ninth over.
But Parris was less assured against vicious short-pitched bowling from Alzarri Joseph and on 54 he gloved a rearing delivery only for wicketkeeper Tim Seifert to fumble the chance after diving forward.
Parris’s momentum was halted and a clever bowling change led to his downfall when spinner Noor Ahmad lured him into a false shot. Keacy Carty struggled for fluency and in the 17th over was brilliantly caught by substitute fielder David Wiese, who dived at long on to take a stunner.
The pressure fell on Pollard, who kept his calm with his first CPL half-century since 2021 to leave the local fans once again stunned.
