FOR MORE SPORTS, GO TO CARIBBEANLIFENEWS.COM/SPORTS
West Indies’ Jason Holder.
Jon Super/Pool via REUTERS
Harper calls
Holder an
inspiration NUMBER
Kieron Pollard of West Indies in action, Action Images / Paul Harding, File
Caribbean Life, APR. 30-MAY 6, 2021 29
SPORTS
FOR MORE SPORTS, GO TO CARIBBEANLIFENEWS.COM/SPORTS
By Azad Ali
Wisden named West Indies whiteball
captain Kieron Pollard as the
Leading T20 Cricketer in the world.
Wisden, cricket’s most authoritative
and respected publication, made
the recent announcement, noting
that the West Indies white-ball captain
had distinguished himself by
“helping Trinidad and Tobago Knight
Riders (TKR) to CPL glory and the
Mumbai Indians to another ILP title,
displaying his well-renowned six-hitting
skills along the way.”
Under Pollard, TKR played unbeaten
last year to capture the Caribbean
Premier League (CPL) for a second
fourth time.
Weeks later, the Trinidadian played
a key role in inspiring Mumbai to a
successful defense of their IPL title
and their fifth crown overall.
Pollard has emerged as one of the
world’s leading T20 cricketers over
the last decade, becoming renowned
for his destructive lower order hitting,
brilliant fielding and clever
medium pace.
Currently, the 33 year-old sits second
on the all-time list of run-scorers
with 10,641 runs, only behind West
Indies teammate Chris Gayle with
13,760 and has taken 293 wickets.
Pollard said being the Leading T20
Cricketer in the world is a “fantastic
achievement.”
By Azad Ali
West Indies chief selector Roger Harper
has praised deposed captain Jason
Holder’s attitude during the recent Sri
Lanka series, contending the all-rounder
had been “exemplary” in his approach
and a source of inspiration for his teammates.
The 29 -year-old Holder was fired as
captain prior to the series and replaced
by fellow Barbadian Kraigg Braithwaite,
but remained a seminal figure throughout
the two-test series which ended in a
nil-nil stalemate on Good Friday.
He averaged 69 with the bat while
scoring an unbeaten half-century in the
second test, and also finished the series
with seven wickets after taking a fivewicket
haul in the first innings of the
opening Test.
Harper said Holder had been the
livewire and really handed things very
well and in an exemplary fashion. He
has continued to be the type of leader
they know someone with his experience
can be
One of the youngest ever Windies Test
captains when he was appointed at age
23, Holder led the regional team in 37
of his 47 Tests-winning 11, losing 21 and
drawing five games.
Holder had pulled out of the Bangladesh
tour earlier this year and stand-in
captain Brathwaite inspired a severely
weakened side to a 2-0 whitewash.
Holder had cited personal reasons for
opting out of the tour, citing COVID-19
concerns.
Harper said the decision to remove
Holder as captain had been a sober one
but had also been necessary in helping
to maintain the new culture formed in
Bangladesh.
ONE!
Pollard named leading T20 cricketer
/SPORTS
/SPORTS
