IPL-17 | No plans to rest Bumrah yet: MI batting coach Pollard

IPL-17 | No plans to rest Bumrah yet: MI batting coach Pollard

Mumbai Indians’ Jasprit Bumrah celebrates after taking wicket of Abhishek Sharma during the IPL match between MI and Sunrises Hyderabad at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 6, 2024. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI Mumbai Indians have no plans to rest ace India pacer Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the T20 World Cup even though they are out of contention for the IPL playoffs, said batting coach Kieron Pollard. MI defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets here on Monday after Suryakumar Yadav (102 not out) struck his second IPL century to help his team chase down a target of 174 with 16 balls to spare. The win helped MI end their four-match losing streak and record only their fourth win in 12 matches. “I certainly haven’t had any discussions about that,” Pollard told media after the game when asked if there are any plans to rest Bumrah from MI’s remaining two matches keeping in mind the upcoming T20 World Cup. Also Read: IPL-17 | Technology comes to the rescue of practice pitches at Dharamshala “I don’t think that’s my role and function at this point in time. But let’s see what happens. We are all here to play an entire IPL. Sometimes when we think too far ahead of different things, thinking about World Cups, all these things could affect performances even from before the team was selected. “For us and in our camp, the most important thing is finishing off the IPL and let’s see what happens after that. When he leaves the IPL and he goes into the Indian team, I think that’s where that concession will take place.” MI’s last IPL game is against Lucknow Super Giants at home on May 17. The T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by USA and the West Indies, will begin on June 1. Pollard said as a batting coach the most difficult aspect of coaching an all-round batter like Suryakumar is to curb his attacking instinct. “He’s one, who, by nature, instinctively, is very aggressive. He wants to take the bowler’s on more often than not. At times it’s just a matter of understanding the situation and respecting the new ball when it’s moving around,” Pollard said. “If the conditions are not suitable for a certain amount of shot making, having that discipline in order to be there for a period of time and they’ll get into your work. “I think that would be the hardest thing — to try to curb the attacking instinct. But it’s not something you want to curb too much and get them in a defensive frame of mind because of the direction the sport is heading now in terms of the amount of runs being scored.” SRH’s assistant coach Helmot doffs his hat to Suryakumar SRH’s assistant coach Simon Helmot said Suryakumar played an exceptional innings to take the game away from his side and the world No 1 T20I batter will have a lot of influence in the T20 World Cup. “On some days you just have to take your hat off and say well played and well played to him. He’s an exceptional cricketer and he’s always going to demand a spot in the Indian team and I’m sure he’ll have an influence in the World Cup,” he said. “It’s very difficult (to bowl at Suryakumar) and you guys have seen him close up for many years as I have. He’s a very difficult batsman to match up with when he’s in that sort of frame of mind, that sort of mood.” Helmot said the conditions assisted swing bowling with the new ball in both the innings which forced the batters to adjust their game. “Travis (Head) has been one of our best players this season at the top of the order. But even he found it difficult at times to time the ball out in the middle on this particular track and that will happen at different times during the season,” he said. Helmot said not losing their fourth spot in the IPL points table was the biggest positive for SRH in a resounding defeat. “The positives are that we’re still fourth in the ladder. It’s a really tight competition; one of the tightest competitions we’ve had in IPL for years that I can remember,” he said. “For us, we’ve got our very first fly tomorrow (Tuesday) and then play the next day against Lucknow (on Wednesday). For us, it’s (about) very quickly get through over this game,” he added.

Read More
Kieron Pollard shows Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians why he's still the best in the business - WATCH | Cricket News

Kieron Pollard shows Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians why he’s still the best in the business – WATCH | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians have explored various strategies in IPL 2024, featuring a new captain in Hardik Pandya, a star-studded batting lineup, and a formidable bowling attack. Despite these efforts, the five-time champions find themselves struggling at the bottom of the table with just three wins in 11 matches.With only 6 points, a struggling MI’s chances of progressing further are nearly nonexistent, leaving them with only “pride and name” to play for, as they themselves have acknowledged.Mumbai Indians will compete in three more games this season and aim to salvage some points from their disappointing campaign.As Mumbai Indians prepare to face Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday, their batting coach Kieron Pollard showcased remarkable fielding skills during a practice session.The 36-year-old veteran, a vital cog in the Mumbai Indians’ setup, showed his incredible fielding skills by leaping over the ropes to maintain his balance before stepping back in to grab the catch.WATCH: Five-time winners Mumbai slipped to the bottom of the pool again when Royal Challengers Bengaluru trumped Gujarat Titans on Saturday.

Read More
Dipendra Singh Airee of Nepal matches Yuvraj Singh and Pollard Kieron with six sixes in an over | Cricket

Dipendra Singh Airee of Nepal matches Yuvraj Singh and Pollard Kieron with six sixes in an over | Cricket

Nepal batsman Dipendra Singh Airee became just the third man to hit six sixes in one over in an international T20 match when he achieved the feat against Qatar in Al Amerat on Saturday. Dipendra Singh Airee He joins India’s Yuvraj Singh, who made his runs off England’s Stuart Broad in Durban in the 2007 World Cup, and West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard who hammered Sri Lanka’s Akila Dananjaya in Antigua in 2021. Unlock exclusive access to the story of India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs and USA’s Jaskaran Malhotra have achieved the feat in one-day international cricket while no one has ever done it in Test cricket. Airee was on 28 from 15 balls, and Nepal on 174 for 7, when medium pacer Kamran Khan began the final over of the innings in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup match. The next six deliveries were all deposited over the ropes as Airee finished on 64 not out from 21 balls. Nepal, who will appear in their second T20 World Cup later this year in West Indies and USA, closed on 210 for 7 which was enough to beat Qatar by 32 runs. It was the second time that Airee, 24, has hit six successive sixes. He achieved it against Mongolia in their Asian Games meeting in Hangzhou in September, but on that occassion the six sixes were spread across two overs. Nepal begin their T20 World Cup against the Netherlands in Dallas on June 4. They will also play group games against South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Read More
Six 6s in an over! Big-hitting Nepal finisher joins Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard in elite list. Watch | Cricket News

Six 6s in an over! Big-hitting Nepal finisher joins Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard in elite list. Watch | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Nepal’s middle-order batter Dipendra Singh Airee on Saturday created history, becoming only the third batter to smash six sixes in an over in T20 international cricket.Finisher Dipendra achieved the rare feat during the ACC Premier Cup Group A game against Qatar in Al Amerat as he smashed six back-to-back sixes in the final over of the Nepal innings, powering his side to 210 for 7. With the remarkable effort, Dipendra joined India’s Yuvraj Singh and West Indies’ Kieron Pollard in the exclusive club.The 24-year-old is now also the fifth across all internationals to achieve the feat.Playing his 60th T20I, Dipendra carnage came in the final over of the innings when he ripped apart pacer Kamran Khan, taking him to all corners of the park.Starting the over at 28 off 15, Dipendra finished on an unbeaten 64 off just 21 balls at the end of the innings. With a total of three fours and 7 sixes in his 64-run carnage, Dipendra struck the ball at a strike rate of over 307.However, this is not the first time Dipendra has hit six back-to-back sixes.During the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year against Mongolia, Dipendra hit six consecutive sixes, spread across two overs.In that game, Dipendra scored 52 not out in 10 balls as Nepal put up a mammoth 314 for 3 — the first time a team scored 300-plus runs in a T20 game.Nepal then bowled Mongolia out for 41 in that contest.

Read More