The West Indies skipper fuelled speculations as to whether he had “retired out” from the Bangladesh contest, after he left the pitch in the 13th over of the innings.

Pollard had failed to get going in the innings and walked back after a making a 16-ball 8.

Many questioned if he was retired hurt or had strategically retired himself out.

If you want to retire out someone, why is it Pollard and not Chase? So was he actually retired hurt and not retired out?

— Alagappan Vijayakumar (@IndianMourinho) October 29, 2021

Pollard retired out? A new chapter in T20 cricket?! About right that it came on this poor pitch… for want of better SR, never mind that Russell run-out next ball. #WIvsBAN #T20WorldCup

— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) October 29, 2021

However, Pollard did return to bat at the end of the West Indies innings, though he didn’t take the field against Bangladesh when West Indies bowled. Pooran, too, referenced Pollard’s injury in the post-game presentation.

In 2017, Pollard was at the other end of the scenario. In an encounter between Barbados Tridents and St Lucia Stars, Stars needed 49 runs to win off the last three overs, when Rahkeem Cornwall, who had earlier been hit in the chest by a Pollard delivery, started walking off. He had tapped off a Wayne Parnell delivery to the off-side, and then went up to a chat with his batting partner. Soon, signals were sent to the dugout and Cornwall took off along with the physio. He had retired out after scoring a 44-ball 78.

Danny Morrison, on air, said “I think he has to come out here. Tired out, he’s battling with the body. He’s suffering.”

Kieron Pollard wasn’t amused and let his displeasure be known to the batter. He walked up to Cornwall, pointed a finger at him and gave a stern lecture to the young player.

Morrison added, “He is not happy. Yeah, Pollard’s not happy about this at all. He thinks this is strategic. He’s saying. ‘You should be leaving the field due to a genuine injury, and not because you’re tired or sore, because of your general fitness’. Furious!”

Pollard continued to hound the batter till he had left the ground along with the physio.

Ian Bishop gave his take on the situation, “Yeah, well, there’s nothing you can do about this, but he did take a blow to his chest. But to me, look he’s leaving the field, because he cannot run. And that’s hampering the innings. And there’s something, it’s not in great taste for the game, if that’s the case, because you’re not fit. So, there’s something wrong with that, to be honest with you. I can’t put my finger on it.”

You can watch the incident here

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