Kieron Pollard Joins MI Emirates as Wildcard Signing for ILT20 Season
Kieron Pollard's Continued Journey with MI Emirates
Former West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard has been officially announced as the wildcard signing for MI Emirates in the upcoming International League T20 (ILT20) season. This marks the continuation of his relationship with the franchise, which began during the tournament's first season in 2023.
Pollard has been a consistent presence for MI Emirates throughout every ILT20 season. Last year, he was also signed as a wildcard alongside Nicholas Pooran, later assuming the captaincy when Pooran's commitments with MI Cape Town in the SA20 conflicted with the UAE tournament, as reported by Cricinfo. Under Pollard's guidance, MI Emirates narrowly missed the championship title last season, finishing as runners-up after a defeat to Desert Vipers.
At 38 years old, Pollard remains a formidable force in T20 cricket. He holds the record for the most appearances in the format with 754 matches, amassing 14,999 runs at an average of 31.71 and a strike rate of 150.92. He is just 63 runs shy of surpassing England's Jos Buttler to become the highest run-scorer in T20 history.
This latest signing coincides with Pollard's expanding role within the Mumbai Indians organization. Recently, he was appointed as the head coach for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL), having played for the franchise from 2010 to 2022 before transitioning to a batting coach role. He also briefly managed MI London in the men's Hundred but resigned from that position earlier this month to focus on his new coaching responsibilities.
Pollard has also concluded his playing contract with Joburg Super Kings in the SA20. At MI Emirates, he will collaborate with head coach Mark Boucher, a former South African wicketkeeper-batter who has taken over from Robin Singh. MI Emirates clinched their first ILT20 title in 2024 under Singh's leadership. The 2026-27 ILT20 season is set to take place from November 21 to December 20, with matches scheduled in Sharjah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.