On Sunday at Dallas, Captain Kieron Pollard led his team MI New York into the playoffs of Major League Cricket 2024 with a four-wicket victory over Los Angeles Knight Riders.
With three overs to spare, the defending champions chased down the 131-run target, with Pollard smashing an unbeaten 33 which was studded with 3 sixes and 2 fours and came off just 12 balls.
Pollard’s three sixes came off three consecutive deliveries by Spencer Johnson in the 15th over.
The first one was struck straight back over the bowler’s head from a ball pitched up on leg stump while the second one went for six heaved over square leg.
Johnson then opted to bowl around wicket hoping to deliver a yorker but could not succeed in doing so; hence, it was whipped disdainfully over mid-wicket again into the stands where it hit the right shoulder of a female fan carrying a MI New York flag.
Afterwards, Pollard alongwith Nicholas Pooran sought out this female fan so as to comfort her but she thought that they might have come to make fun of her. By way of showing remorse for what he had done, Pollard apologized over that shot before giving her his autograph. However, he asked that there is a selfie taken by her husband as well as asked him to take care of her saying “Do what man needs do” before shaking hands and leaving.
MI New York completed the playoffs line-up on net run-rate while Los Angeles Knight Riders were eliminated from making it through due to their poor net run-rate.
MI New York will now face Texas Super Kings in Eliminator on Wednesday.
