IPL 2018: Pollard reveals the reason behind sporting No 400 jersey along with Dwayne in the season opener

Pollard hoped Mumbai will bounce back against Hyderabad on 12 April.

Dwayne Bravo, and Kieron Pollard sported similar jersey in the IPL 2018 opener in Mumbai | Mid-Day

An aggressive all-rounder, Kieron Pollard on Monday revealed that reason behind sporting a similar jersey number ‘400’ along with fellow-West Indian and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder, Dwayne Bravo in the IPL 2018 opener at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Pollard, who has become the first player to play 400 T20 matches, said that he wanted to celebrate the milestone in the unique style and that’s why he sported the Mumbai Indians (MI) jersey with that number in the IPL opener. On the other hand, Bravo also donned the similar jersey number for CSK to celebrate his own landmark of 400 wickets in T20 games in the IPL 2018 opener.

So far, Pollard has played 414 T20 games, and amassed 8,048 runs with highest  89 not out and has also taken 251 wickets in the format.

Both West Indians achieved the feat (400) during the BBL 2017 while playing for Melbourne Renegades, and Adelaide Strikers respectively.

As per reports in PTI, Pollard told reporters after launching 'AlphaBounce Beyond', running footwear by Adidas, “It is just something that Bravo and I came up with. He is the first bowler in T20 cricket to take 400 wickets, and I am the only player so far to play 400 matches. At the young age of 30, being able to play 400 matches, I think that in itself is a milestone in a format (in which) none of us thought how much we would end up playing when we started our career in cricket. That was the reason (to wear those jerseys).”

He further said that they will sport their original numbers -47 and 55 respectively in the remaining matches of the T20 league. He added, “As he (Bravo) has said, in the next couple of games we are going back to our original numbers - that is 47 and 55.”

The 30-year-old also hoping that the defending champions will bounce back in their next game after their narrow one-wicket defeat against CSK in the opener in Mumbai.

Pollard signed off by saying, “I am sure, it was just the first game. These things happen in cricket. You try to get the best combinations first-up and as Rohit said we tend to start slow. In T20 cricket, in a new team, new faces, guys have to get accustomed to each other. Hopefully, we will bounce back and you will see me bowl and bat along with lot many other things.”

Rohit Sharma led MI will lock horns against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on 12 April in Hyderabad in the seventh match of the tournament.

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 10 Apr, 2018

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