Kieron Pollard played one of his trademark innings to help the Southern Brave secure an improbable victory over the Trent Rockets in the Men’s Hundred at The Rose Bowl in Southampton on Saturday.

After winning the toss and batting first, the Rockets posted 126-8 from their 100 balls.

Openers Tom Banton and Adam Lyth gave the Rockets a good start with a partnership of 46 for the first wicket before both went in quick succession for 30 and 16, respectively.

A series of starts from Alex Hales (15), Joe Root (16), Rovman Powell (16) and captain Lewis Gregory (19) propelled the Rockets to their score.

Chris Jordan was the pick of the bowlers for the Brave with 3-22 from his 20 balls while Jofra Archer and Danny Briggs took two wickets, each.

The Brave then needed 99 balls to reach 127-8 and secure victory.

After a 43-run opening partnership between Alex Davies and captain James Vince, the Brave lost a cluster of wickets very quickly, eventually struggling at 78-6, needing 49 from 20 balls.

Kieron Pollard, who at that point has scored six off 14 balls, faced up to Rashid Khan in a crucial set of five to likely determine the outcome of the game.

The former West Indies captain then produced one of the most brutal displays of hitting of his career, belting Khan for five sixes in a row to put the Brave firmly in control, now needing 19 from 15 for victory.

The momentum continued in the way of the brave as the next set of five balls went for 10 runs to leave the Brave needing nine runs off 10 balls.

Pollard’s innings came to an end off the first ball of the next set for a 23-ball 45 including two fours and five sixes, bringing Jofra Archer to the crease to join Chris Jordan.

With the Brave eventually needing four runs off two balls, Jordan hit Lewis Gregory for four over square leg to secure the win.

Nicholas Pooran led the way with a half-century as the Northern Superchargers secured a seven-wicket win over the Southern Brave to open their account in this season’s Hundred at Headingley in Leeds on Tuesday.

The Brave, after winning the toss and electing to bat, posted 146-8 off their 100 balls thanks to a 22-ball 37 from former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard and cameos of 28 and 26 from Alex Davies and James Coles, respectively.

Callum Parkinson took 2-38 from his 20 balls of left-arm spin for the Superchargers.

The Superchargers then needed only 85 balls to reach 147-3 and secure their first win of the season.

Pooran than led the successful chase with 62 off 34 balls including four fours and five sixes while captain Harry Brook finished 34* off 20 balls including four fours and a six.

Opener Graham Clark also chipped in with 27.

Akeal Hosein took 1-19 off 15 balls for the Brave.

Full Scores:

Southern Brave 146-8 off 100 balls (Kieron Pollard 37, Alex Davies 28, James Coles 26, Callum Parkinson 2-38)

Northern Superchargers 147-3 off 85 balls (Nicholas Pooran 62, Harry Brook 34*, Graham Clark 27, Akeal Hosein 1-19, Jofra Archer 1-19)

Captain Faf du Plessis once again led from the front as the Texas Super Kings secured a nine-wicket win over defending champions MI New York in the eliminator of Major League Cricket 2024 at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Wednesday.

The Super Kings, after winning the toss and electing to field first, restricted New York to 163-8 from their 20 overs.

Rashid Khan (55) and Monank Patel (48) were the top run scorers for MI against an important 2-18 off four overs from Marcus Stoinis. Aaron Hardie also took two wickets while Dwayne Bravo finished with 1-21 from 1.3 overs.

Texas then needed only 18.3 overs to reach 167-1 thanks to a 47-ball 72 from du Plessis, his third fifty of the season, including six fours and three sixes.

That knock now brings du Plessis’s run total to 375 from seven games, form that he will hope translates to the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) where he will captain the St. Lucia Kings beginning August 29.

Devon Conway capitalized on some missed chances from the MI New York fielders to finish 51* while Hardie followed up his two wickets with 40* off 22 balls.

The Super Kings will now face the loser of the Qualifier between the Washington Freedom and San Francisco Unicorns in the Challenger on Friday for a place in Sunday’s final.

Full Scores:

MI New York 163-8 off 20 overs (Rashid Khan 55, Monank Patel 48, Marcus Stoinis 2-18, Aaron Hardie 2-22)

Texas Super Kings 167-1 off 18.3 overs (Faf du Plessis 72, Devon Conway 51*, Aaron Hardie 40*)

On the back of a vintage display of power hitting from Captain Kieron Pollard and some responsible batting from Nicholas Pooran, defending champions MI New York booked a spot in the 2024 Major League Cricket Playoffs with a four-wicket win over the Los Angeles Knight Riders at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas on Sunday.

Both teams entered Sunday’s clash knowing a win would be good enough for them to join the San Francisco Unicorns, Washington Freedom and Texas Super Kings in the playoffs.

After winning the toss and electing to field first, MI New York restricted the LA Knight Riders to 130 all out off 19.1 overs.

The hard-hitting Andre Russell did the bulk of the scoring for the Sunil Narine-led knight Riders with 35 while Jason Roy hit 27 at the top of the innings.

Leg-spinner Rashid Khan was the pick of the New York bowlers with 3-22 from his four overs while Nosthush Kenjige and Trent Boult supported well with two wickets, each.

MI New York then needed only 17 overs to reach 134-6 and book their spot in the playoffs after winning just one of their first six games of the season.

Nicholas Pooran led the way with 35 off 28 balls but it was Pollard’s blistering 33* off just 12 balls that sealed victory.

Pooran’s knock included two fours and as many sixes while Pollard hit two fours and three sixes.

Dewald Brevis also chipped in with a 19-ball 27.

Narine took 2-24 from his four overs for the Knight Riders.

Full Scores:

LA Knight Riders 130 all out off 19.1 overs (Andre Russell 35, Jason Roy 27, Rashid Khan 3-22, Nosthush Kenjige 2-22, Trent Boult 2-38)

MI New York 134-6 off 17 overs (Nicholas Pooran 35, Kieron Pollard 33*, Dewald Brevis 27, Sunil Narine 2-24)

Nicholas Pooran hit 62* to lead defending champions MI New York to a six-wicket win over the Seattle Orcas to kick off the second edition of Major League Cricket at Church Street Park in Morrisville on Friday.

After winning the toss and electing to field first, the MI New York bowlers dominated the Orcas batting, restricting them to 108 all out off 19.1 overs.

Shubham Ranjane (35), Harmeet Singh (20) and Aaron Jones (12) were the only batsmen to reach double figures for the Orcas against 3-22 and 3-25 from eight overs combined from superstars Rashid Khan and Trent Boult, respectively.

Captain Kieron Pollard also chipped in with 2-11 from his 2.1 overs.

It then took MI New York only 14.2 overs to reach 111-4 with Pooran finishing 62* off 37 balls, his 41^st T20 half-century.

His knock included seven fours and two sixes.

Full Scores:

Seattle Orcas 108 all out off 19.1 overs (Shubham Ranjane 35, Rashid Khan 3-22, Trent Boult 3-25)

MI New York 111-4 off 14.2 overs (Nicholas Pooran 62*, Cameron Gannon 2-40)

Cricket West Indies (CWI) vice president Azim Bassarath has declared his intentions to join the effort to possibly coerce spinner Sunil Narine to come out of international retirement for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be hosted in the Caribbean and United States.

Bassarath's declaration follows that of West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell, who has led the charge of trying to get Narine back to the regional setup ahead of the June 1-29 global showpiece.

Narine, 35, confirmed his retirement from the international game last November. However, after a stellar 56-ball 109 for Kolkota Knight Riders (KKR) against Rajasthan Royals in an IPL tie on April 16, Powell said he’s been trying to coax Narine to rejoin the squad for the past year “but he’s blocked out everyone.”

At the same time, the Jamaican revealed that he sought the assistance of Nicholas Pooran and retired international stars Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo to convince their compatriot to return. Former maroon fast bowler Tony Gray also believes Narine would be a welcomed addition to Darren Sammy's side to challenge for a third T20 World Cup title.

West Indies won the 2012 and 2016 editions of the tournament.

After KKR's IPL win against the Lucknow Super Giants on April 14, Narine when asked about the possibility of returning to the West Indies team by former West Indies teammate Samuel Badree, pointed out that “I will be watching from home, Badree.”

However, Narine in another interview on Tuesday, appeared to soften his stance about making the proverbial U-turn, when he said, “It is what it is, but we'll have to see what the future holds.”

Bassarath explained that he has tried unsuccessfully to make contact with Narine, but he intends to keep at it.

“I haven’t spoken to him [Narine], and he hasn’t spoken to me. Everybody is asking for him to change his mind and come represent West Indies, at least for this last chance. It is my intention to give him a shout, and if I have to beg him to come back and make himself available to play in this tournament. Because this is what the people need," he said in a T&T Newsday article.

Bassarath, the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) president Bassarath also revealed that he reached out to Queen’s Park Cricket Club president Nigel Camacho – Narine’s domestic club – for help.

“I have also spoken to the QPCC president, and he indicated to me that he will also reach out to Sunil to see if he can change his mind to come on board," he shared.

West Indies are set to open their T20 World Cup campaign against Papa New Guinea in Guyana, on June 2.  Afghanistan, New Zealand, and Uganda are the other teams in the group.

In a thrilling turn of events at the 2024 draft of The Hundred, five West Indies power-hitting batters clinched top-bracket contracts, setting the stage for an electrifying season ahead. The draft, held on Wednesday, saw these dynamic players securing lucrative deals worth £125,000 each, promising an explosive display of cricketing prowess when the latest season of The Hundred kicks off on July 23.

The Northern Superchargers made the headlines by selecting Nicholas Pooran as their first pick, highlighting the team's strategic focus on acquiring top-tier talent. Pooran's exceptional batting prowess and aggressive style make him a formidable force on the field, adding depth and flair to the Superchargers' lineup.

London Spirit secured the services of two West Indian powerhouses, with Andre Russell and Shimron Hetmyer joining their ranks. Known for their ability to smash boundaries with ease, Russell and Hetmyer are expected to bring an exciting brand of cricket to the Spirit camp, captivating fans with their explosive stroke play.

Meanwhile, Southern Brave strengthened their batting lineup by acquiring the services of Kieron Pollard, adding the experienced all-rounder's firepower to their arsenal. Pollard's ability to turn the game on its head with his big-hitting prowess makes him a valuable asset for the Brave as they aim for glory in The Hundred.

Rovman Powell emerged as a top pick for Trent Rockets, further solidifying the West Indian presence in the tournament. Powell's aggressive batting style and knack for scoring quick runs make him a perfect fit for the Rockets' lineup, providing the team with a dynamic middle-order batsman capable of changing the course of a game single-handedly.

While the draft brought joy to these five West Indian stars, there was disappointment for Trinidad and Tobago's mystery spinner Sunil Narine, who went undrafted. Despite his absence from the draft, Narine remains a formidable force in the world of cricket, with his unique bowling skills and all-round abilities.

Power hitter Kieron Pollard upstaged Babar Azam's landmark outing in Lahore, as Karachi Kings cruised to an emphatic seven-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi on Wednesday.

Chasing 155, Pollard bludgeoned an unbeaten 49 off 21 balls with four towering sixes and four boundaries to take Kings home in 16.5 overs for their first win in the tournament.

Babar's landmark 271^st T20 in which he became the fastest batter to reach 10,000 runs saw Zalmi getting bowled out for 154 in 19.5 overs after the Kings won the toss and elected to field.

Babar followed his half-century in the first game against Quetta Gladiators with a knock of 72 off 51 balls, but his effort went in vain for the second successive game.

Zalmi's innings revolved around Babar's brilliance after it lost three wickets inside the batting powerplay with Shoaib Malik dismissing Saim Ayub off the first ball with a full-pitched delivery that didn't turn much. Hasan Ali, playing against his former franchise, also had a dream start when he knocked back Tom Kohler-Cadmore's off stump off his first ball.

Babar revived the innings with Rovman Powell (39) in a 68-run stand and Asif Ali scored 23 before Peshawar lost its last six wickets for only 18 runs in the last four overs. Powell top-edged a reverse sweep against left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz a while Asif holed out at long-on.

Left-arm fast bowler Mir Hamza (3-28), who bowled to hard lengths with the new ball, chipped in with the wickets of Aamer Jamal and then took a fine return catch to dismiss Babar in his last over as the Zalmi innings folded quickly.

Pollard brought an early finish when he smashed three straight sixes and two fours in a 27-run over against Afghanistan's left-arm wrist spinner Waqar Salamkheil, one of the two changes Zalmi made after losing the first match by 16 runs. Salamkheil conceded 54 off his four overs and got Malik stumped for run-a-ball 29.

James Vince remained unbeaten on 38 and ended up denying Pollard a chance at a much-deserved half-century when he drove Luke Wood (2-20) for the winning boundary in the 17th over.

Kings, who lost their first game against Multan Sultans by 55 runs, have two points from two games while Zalmi is still looking for their first win.

The boys in Maroon benefitted from a session with former West Indies all-rounder Pollard. With plenty of experience in international cricket and high-octane global T20 leagues, Pollard was able to share his words of wisdom with the upcoming cricketers from the region.

Pollard featured in 123 ODIs for West Indies and scored 2706 runs at a strike rate of 94.41. He also scored three centuries and 13 fifties. In the T20I format, the all-rounder scored 1569 runs at a strike rate of 135.14. He also picked 55 ODI and 42 T20I wickets.

He was a part of the West Indies side that lifted the 2012 ICC Men's T20 World Cup and has also come through the ranks, playing the U19 World Cup in 2006.

Youngster Jordan Johnson thanked Pollard for his encouragement, "We'd like to thank you guys for coming up, and giving us your words of encouragement and motivation. And I hope that they'll use it to the best of their abilities. To help us throughout the World Cup. Thank you!"

West Indies begin their campaign on the opening day of the tournament, taking against hosts South Africa in Potchefstroom. Apart from the Proteas, they'll go up against England and Scotland in their group.

Heinrich Klaasen was at his belligerent best to help Durban’s Super Giants secure an 11-run win over Kieron Pollard’s MI Cape Town via the DLS method in the Betway SA T20 at Kinsmead in Durban on Thursday.

MI Cape Town first posted a formidable 207-5 from their 20 overs after being put in to bat by the Super Giants.

Opener Ryan Rickleton hit six fours and six sixes on his way to an excellent top score of 87 from 51 balls while Pollard, who replaced the injured Rashid Khan ad Captain for the tournament, hit a brutal 31 from 14 balls including four fours and a six in the latter part of the innings.

Guyanese all-rounder Keemo Paul took 2-31 from his four overs for the Super Giants.

The chase got off to a less than impressive start as Durban lost Quinton De Kock (5) and Wiaan Milder (5) within the first three overs with 12 runs on the board.

A 40-run third wicket partnership between opener Matthew Breetzke and Paul steadied proceedings a bit before Paul fell off the bowling of English speedster Ollie Stone for 15.

His wicket brought Klaasen to the crease and he put the team on his back with a magnificent 35-ball 85 including four fours and eight massive sixes.

Breetzke ended up making 39 off 24 balls.

The wickets of those two along with Nicholas Pooran for just 11 meant that the Super Giants were 177-6 off 16.3 overs when the rains came and ended play for the day.

Thankfully for the Super Giants, the Duckworth Lewis Stern par score was 166 at the time.

South African ace Kagiso Rabada took 2-23 from three overs for MI Cape Town.

Former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard will lead MI Cape Town's hunt for glory in the second edition of South Africa's Premier Twenty20 League, SA20, while in his absence from the International League (ILT20), compatriot Nicholas Pooran will lead MI Emirates.

Pollard's appointment at MI Cape Town comes as Rashid Khan, who led the team last season, has been ruled out of the upcoming season, as he continues to recover from a back surgery. The ace leg spinner was named in the Afghanistan squad on January 6 for their three-match T20I series in India, but is unlikely to play, according to a statement from his cricket board (ACB). Khan also missed Afghanistan's most recent T20I series in the UAE and the Big Bash League (BBL).

As such, the powerfully built Pollard has not only been drafted to make his debut in the SA20 but will lead from the front given his experience as a five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) Champion, a two-time Champions League (CLT20) Champion, and a Major League (MLC) Champion, across the Mumbai Indians franchises.

The explosive middle-order batsman was also retained by MI Emirates for the upcoming ILT20 campaign, but with its dates clashing with the SA20's, Pooran has been given the reins of MI Emirates captaincy. It remains to be seen whether Pollard will join MI Emirates for the last leg of the ILT20 in the UAE.

Pollard was recently in action for New York Strikers in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, where his side lost the final to Deccan Gladiators.

Pooran, who also plays with Pollard at Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), recently declined his West Indies central contract to become a free agent.

The left-hand batsman, who is also a former West Indies white-ball captain, Pooran was unveiled as Durban's Super Giants' wildcard pick in September 2023, and is likely to play three matches in the SA20 before linking up with MI Emirates for the second season of the ILT20.

The one-month SA20 will run from January 10 to February 10, and the ILT20 from January 19 to February 17. The two leagues will also clash with New Zealand's Super Smash and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard will join the England coaching team for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Pollard becomes part of the England set-up specifically as an assistant coach for the June tournament.

The 36-year-old from Trinidad and Tobago will provide expertise of Caribbean conditions with the competition being co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States.

Former Somerset all-rounder Pollard helped the West Indies win the T20 World Cup in 2012 and has played a record 600-plus matches in the format.

The ninth edition of the T20 World Cup will be held between June 4 and June 30 next year, with the final to be staged at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

England will defend the title they won for the second time in Australia 13 months ago in a tournament expanded from 16 to 20 teams.

Former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard is set to start a new chapter in his decorated cricketing career, as he is expected to join reigning Twenty20 World champions England as a batting consultant ahead of their title defence in the Caribbean and the United States, next year.

According to media reports, Pollard, 36, is expected to impart knowledge of Caribbean conditions and pitches to the England, for the showpiece tournament scheduled for June 4-30.

With the region notorious in recent years for its low, slow pitches, conditions are expected to play a key role in the tournament, and, as such, Pollard's experience of same, will be an asset for England.

The Trinidadian's appointment is expected to flawless, as he is already acquainted with current England captain Jos Buttler with whom he played during a couple of stints with county Somerset, and others, who he would have rubbed shoulders with, in franchise tournaments.

Pollard, who retired from international cricket last year, after a T20 series away to India two months prior. Still, the powerfully built player continues to feature in the global short-format franchise leagues, recently leading New York Strikers to victory in the Abu Dhabi T10.

His vast experience in the T20 format, will also be of value to England, as Pollard has 123 One-Day International and 101 T20 International appearances under his built. Overall, he has featured in 537 T20s, scoring over 12,000 runs, with 300 wickets from his part-time bowling.

Pollard was at the helm when West Indies copped the T20 World Cup title in 2021, to go along with the 2016 title won by a Darren Sammy-led team which he was a part of.

Deccan Gladiators' hopes of a hat-trick of Abu Dhabi T10 titles were dashed by New York Strikers, who put in a fantastic bowling display led by Sunil Narine in the final to romp home by seven wickets with four balls in hand on Saturday.

Big scores had gone down as the tournament wore on, but Gladiators' 91 for 5 after being sent in appeared insufficient for the big occasion. It proved to be exactly that, despite Strikers being 7 for 2 in 1.1 overs, with openers Muhammad Waseem and Rahmanullah Gurbaz dismissed cheaply.

Niroshan Dickwella and Asif Ali, the Player of the Match, put the innings back on track, before Dickwella was sent back by Andre Russell for a 12-ball 14. From there on, it was all about Asif and captain Kieron Pollard, who put up 56 runs together without much scoreboard pressure to weigh them down.

Asif scored 48 not out in 25 balls with two fours and four sixes, and Pollard chipped in with 22 not out in 13, with a four and six, as Strikers won the title.

The win was set up by the bowlers, though. Gladiators had a decent opening stand of 28 with Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Nicholas Pooran, the No. 1 and No. 3 on the tournament run-scorers' list, but Narine broke through in the third over with Kohler-Cadmore's wicket for a seven-ball 13. Pooran fell to George Scrimshaw two balls later, and Gladiators were suddenly 28 for 2, which became 36 for 3, 41 for 4, and 57 for 5 after 7.1 overs, with Narine returning 2 for 6 from his two overs without conceding a single boundary.

Russell, who finished with an unbeaten 30 from 18 balls with two fours and two sixes, and David Wiese, 20 not out from 11, with a four and two sixes, completed the innings with some momentum, but it was too few for Gladiators to defend on the night.

Akeal Hosein's sensational 5 for 6 in two overs dismantled Samp Army as New York Strikers posted a 41-run win in Qualifier 1 to storm into the Abu Dhabi T10 final at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Defending 121, the Strikers' left-arm spinner picked up a hat-trick in the first over of the innings, dismissing Andries Gous, Dewald Brevis and Ibrahim Zadran, to leave Samp Army reeling at 1 for 3.

In his second over, he removed the opposition captain Faf du Plessis and Najibullah Zadran in space of three balls to further rattle Samp Army.

Jason Holder's 22 of 11 and Qais Ahmad's unbeaten 31 off 13 at No.10 meant Samp Army huffed and puffed to 80 for 9.

Earlier, opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz's blazing 56 off 28 set the tone for Strikers to post a competitive 121 for 5. His knock included four fours and five sixes.

In the end, Asif Ali smashed three fours in his unbeaten seven-ball knock of 17 to further lift Strikers.

Samp Army will have a second chance to make the final when they play the winner of the Eliminator between Bangla Tigers and Deccan Gladiators in Qualifier 2 later today.

At the time of publishing, the Tigers were 78-4 off seven overs batting first.