Kieron Pollard, the West Indies white-ball captain, announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday, though he will continue to play in private T20 and T10 leagues around the world.
In a nutshell, Pollard’s international career may be described as a perpetual underachiever in the maroon jersey.
The debut and career of Kieron Pollard – A moment to remember
Kieron Pollard, 34, made his ODI debut in 2007 and played his final series against India, a country that has become his second home thanks to his long affiliation with the Mumbai Indians.
While he is regarded as one of the best T20 cricketers in the world, his records for the West Indies remain not very impressive, with only 2706 runs at just about 26 and 55 wickets from 123 ODIs, as well as 1569 runs from 101 T20Is. He also had 44 wickets under his name.
A hard hitter that bowlers feared – Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard was one of the best six-hitters of all time, and no bowler in the world feared bowling fuller deliveries to him in his prime, as well as Yorkers that could be dug-out for straight sixes.
He did have issues against slower bowlers, and as the teams have done their homework, the wide yorker became a powerful tool in halting his exploits.
While hitting six sixes of Akila Dananjaya in a T20I — third in the world after Herschelle Gibbs and Yuvraj Singh — would be the peak of his international career. He was in the squad of the West Indies that won the 2012 ICC T20 World Cup. He has never played a Test match.
Domestic and international cricket, different priorities for Kieron Pollard
Pollard was never the same player for the Windies as he was for the Mumbai Indians or any of the other franchises for whom he has played over the years, despite having three centuries in ODIs.
Perhaps it was West Indies cricket’s financial crisis that helped Pollard realize his priorities, and that’s why he was never at his best when he came to represent the country.
99 sixes in 101 T20Is, fewer than a six per game, and his bowling prowess declined significantly in later years as he saw himself as a late-order batter, are testaments to it.
Kieron Pollard, who is approaching his 35th birthday, understands that he will need to maximize his earnings by playing leagues all over the world, and in the post-COVID world, it is extremely difficult for a family man to jump from one bio-bubble to another, especially with the added burden of international cricket.
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Instagram statement by Kieron Pollard
He addressed everyone on Instagram and said that he has decided to retire from international cricket after much thought and consideration. He said that it was a dream of his to play for the West Indies since Pollard was a 10-year-old boy. Pollard also added that he is pleased to have represented the West Indies in the T20 and ODI formats of the game for over 15 years. Pollard wrote on his official Instagram account.
