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    STUMP VISION                                                              JULY 03, 2026    |  The Indian Eye 44

                                        14,582 Runs Later,

              Kieron Pollard Still Stands Tall

               Pollard’s association with Mumbai Indians became central to the franchise’s golden era. Across

                13 seasons, he evolved into far more than a power-hitting finisher. He became the team’s crisis
                                             manager, match-winner and dressing-room leader

                                                                                                                  however, is the nature of his achieve-
                                                                                                                  ments.  Unlike most of the game’s
                                                                                                                  highest T20 run-scorers, Pollard
                                                                                                                  rarely  enjoyed  the  luxury  of  open-
                                                                                                                  ing the batting. The vast majority of
                                                                                                                  his runs came from positions six and
                                                                                                                  seven, often entering games when
                                                                                                                  pressure was at its highest and mar-
                                                                                                                  gins for error were smallest. That re-
                                                                                                                  ality made his achievement in Major
                                                                                                                  League Cricket this year particularly
                     ARCHAN MEHTA                                                                                 significant.
                                                                                                                      During an innings for MI New
                 ew cricketers have shaped a                                                                      York against Washington Freedom,
                 format as profoundly as Kieron                                                                   Pollard surpassed Chris Gayle’s
            FPollard has shaped Twenty20                                                                          long-standing record to become the
            cricket. For nearly two decades, the                                                                  highest run-scorer in T20 history.
            Trinidadian all-rounder has been one                                                                  Fittingly, he reached the landmark
            of  the  defining  figures  of  the  short-                                                           with a six. The record was not merely
            est format, combining brute power,                                                                    a statistical accomplishment; it was
            tactical intelligence and remarkable                                                                  recognition of a role that has often
            longevity. From humble beginnings                                                                     been undervalued in cricket’s tradi-
            in Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago, to                                                                 tional hierarchy.
            becoming the  leading  run-scorer  in                                                                     Pollard’s impact now stretches
            T20 history, Pollard’s journey mirrors                                                                far beyond his exploits as a player.
            the growth of franchise cricket itself.                                                               Having smoothly transitioned into
                The turning point came in 2009                                                                    coaching and mentorship, he has be-
            during the inaugural Champions                                                                        come a valued figure across the glob-
            League Twenty20 in India. Repre-                                                                      al cricket landscape. From serving
            senting Trinidad and Tobago against                                                                   as batting coach within the Mumbai
            New South Wales, Pollard produced                                                                     Indians setup to working with En-
            a breathtaking unbeaten 54 off just   Having smoothly transitioned into coaching and mentorship, Pollard has become a valued   gland’s white-ball team and leading
            18 deliveries to pull off an improb-                                                                  MI London in The Hundred, Pollard
            able chase. It was an innings that              figure across the global cricket landscape (File photo)  continues to shape the next genera-
            changed  his  life.  Franchise owners,                                                                tion. His calm demeanor, tactical
            scouts and cricket administrators   unbeaten  60  in  the  2013  IPL  final   victorious 2012 ICC World T20 cam-  acumen and emphasis on prepara-
            suddenly realized the value of a play-  helped Mumbai win its maiden ti-  paign and later captained the nation-  tion have earned widespread respect
            er who could alter a match in a hand-  tle, while several other memorable   al side in white-ball cricket. One of   from players and coaches alike.
            ful of deliveries. The knock elevated   knocks cemented his reputation as   his most iconic moments arrived in   As franchise cricket becomes
            Pollard from a promising Caribbean   one of the greatest big-match play-  2021 when he smashed six consecu-  the dominant force in the sport, Pol-
            talent into one of the most sought-af-  ers in T20 cricket. Alongside Hardik   tive sixes off Sri Lanka spinner Akila   lard’s legacy only grows stronger.
            ter  cricketers  in  the  world. Within   Pandya and Krunal Pandya, Pollard   Dananjaya in an international T20   Alongside fellow Caribbean trail-
            months, Mumbai Indians secured his   formed the middle-order engine   match. It was a reminder that even   blazers, he embraced the franchise
            services, beginning one of the most   room that powered Mumbai’s dom-  in  an  era  filled  with  power  hitters,   route long before it became main-
            successful player-franchise partner-  inance during the late 2010s. Their   Pollard possessed a unique ability   stream. What was once criticized is
            ships in cricket history.         combined flexibility with bat and ball   to dominate attacks through a com-  now the model many players follow.
                Pollard’s association with Mum-  allowed Mumbai to build one of the   bination of strength, game aware-  While records may be broken, Ki-
            bai Indians became central to the   most balanced and successful teams   ness and intimidation. His towering   eron Pollard didn’t just play the T20
            franchise’s golden era. Across 13 sea-  in franchise cricket history.   presence at the crease often altered   revolution, he helped create it.
            sons, he evolved into far more than   While franchise success brought   bowling plans before a ball was even
            a power-hitting finisher. He became   fame, Pollard also left an indelible   delivered.                 Archan Mehta is a writer dedicated
            the team’s crisis manager, match-win-  mark on international cricket. He   What  truly  separates  Pollard   to telling compelling stories about
            ner  and  dressing-room  leader.  His   played a key role in the West Indies’   from many of his contemporaries,   athletes, teams, and the world of cricket

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