Image credit – AFP

Pollard’s swashbuckling innings – 83 off just 31 balls – pulled Mumbai Indians from certain defeat against Kings XI Punjab on Wednesday, April 10, and instead took them to their third win on the trot. Pollard struck 10 sixes, to the delight of the crowd at a deafening Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

With Mumbai on 103/4 after 13 overs in a chase of 198, Pollard pulled out his best shots and turned the tables. He was especially severe on young Sam Curran, who was taken apart for six sixes.

What’s hot

THAT WINNING MOMENT 😍💙#OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #MIvKXIP @KieronPollard55 @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/1DzM9nsi07

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 11, 2019

Kieron Pollard. It took him time, but Pollard finally came to the IPL party. The burly Trinidadian eclipsed KL Rahul, who had made a brilliant hundred earlier in the night, to win the Player of the Match award.

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Pollard was also Mumbai captain on the day, after Rohit Sharma was rested as a precaution after sustaining a leg injury at practice.

He led from the front, and was seen celebrating wildly on the sidelines after Mumbai sealed the win. Big-hitter, excellent fielder, effective bowler, part-time captain, full-time entertainer – is there anything Pollard cannot do?

What’s not

[caption id=”attachment_103347″ align=”alignnone” width=”1024″] De Kock has crossed 50 just once in six innings[/caption]

Quinton de Kock. The South African came into this series on the back of an exquisite run of form against Sri Lanka, against whom he recorded three half-centuries and one century in five innings, for his most productive bilateral series ever. It was expected that de Kock would carry that form into the IPL.

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However, that hasn’t been the case. De Kock has crossed 50 just once in six innings. With Evin Lewis – a proven T20 commodity – waiting in the wings, is time running out for the wicket-keeper batsman?

What they said

What a victory this for the @mipaltan. The dressing room celebrations say it all ??#MIvKXIP pic.twitter.com/ZXDmrv6Ql3

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 10, 2019

“Pollard is a legend! One guy who could do this, it was Kieron Pollard..”

– Hardik Pandya believes there’s someone who can hit ’em as big as he does!

What they didn’t say

[caption id=”attachment_102431″ align=”alignnone” width=”768″] Big trouble for little Sam[/caption]

“This is not what I signed up for…”

– Sam Curran, the hat-trick hero against Delhi Capitals, after seeing the other side of the spectrum.

What’s next

Rajasthan Royals, who are separated from Royal Challengers Bangalore by a solitary win, desperately need another two points in the bag. Too bad they face Chennai Super Kings next … Can they halt the Yellow Army’s juggernaut and spring a surprise?