“Wait Polly, take a chance” – Kieron Pollard reveals what went through his mind before the 6 sixes record
West Indies captain Kieron Pollard on Wednesday equalled Yuvraj Singh’s record of smashing six sixes in an over in a T20I. In doing so, he became only the third batsman in international cricket to achieve the feat.
But moments before he launched Akila Dananjaya over the deep midwicket boundary at Antigua’s Coolidge Cricket Ground to enter the record books, Kieron Pollard had doubts if he should go for a moment of glory.
After winning the Player of the Match award for his game-changing 11-ball 38, Kieron Pollard revealed that he told himself to go for six sixes in the over after he hit the third six, but he was doubtful after the fifth hit.
“A couple of things went through my mind before the sixth ball, I thought should I go for the six or take the 30 runs in the over, he went around the wicket and bowled it onto my pads, I told myself ‘Wait Polly, take a chance’.
“That’s how I have played my cricket all along, especially against the spinners. I felt I could hit six sixes after the third one. I did it in the Super 50 as well,” said Kieron Pollard, one of the world’s most sought-after T20 cricketers.
It’s going to be Sri Lankan spinners against West Indies batters: Kieron Pollard
One over before Kieron Pollard took Akila Dananjaya to the cleaners, the Sri Lankan spinner had taken a hat-trick, sending back Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle and Nicolas Pooran off consecutive deliveries.
Lendl Simmons would fall in the following over, reducing the hosts to 62 for 4 before Kieron Pollard's onslaught swung the game in West Indies’ favor in a matter of six balls.
Kieron Pollard credited the West Indies bowlers for restricting Sri Lanka to a low score. He stated that the side would continue to capitalize on its six-hitting strength as it vies to defend the World Cup later this year.
“Kudos to the bowling line up for restricting them to 132. We started off pretty well and faltered in the middle with the hat-trick coming there. But we backed ourselves. If hitting sixes is our strength, we want to capitalise on our strengths. The series is going to be their spinners against our batters.
“We’re not going to hide from that reality. It’s about time that we start winning cricket games. We’ve tried to give guys opportunities with an eye on the World Cup. But we need to win cricket games, so we have to balance it,” said Kieron Pollard, 33, the most experienced T20 cricketer in the world.
The two-time world champions (2012 and 2016), West Indies enter the ICC T20 World Cup in India later this year as the defending champions. However, ever since their 2016 World Cup triumph, they have won 17 matches and lost 30 in the shortest format, falling to tenth spot in the ICC T20I Rankings.