IPL 2017: Kieron Pollard fifty drives Mumbai Indians home vs Delhi Daredevils

Kieron Pollard’s unbeaten 35-ball 63 proved decisive in Mumbai Indians’ 146-run win over Delhi Daredevils in an IPL 2017 game at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium. With this, MI became the first team to qualify for playoffs.

Kieron Pollard slammed his second fifty of the season as Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Daredevils by 146 runs to become the first team to qualify for IPL 2017 playoffs. (Highlights)

Mumbai Indians (MI) batsman Kieron Pollard (R) sends one to the ropes during the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Delhi Daredevils (DD) at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi on Saturday. (AFP)

Pollard’s innings included four sixes and five boundaries. In his knock, he had two vital partnerships of 37 runs each with Lendl Simmons and Rohit Sharma, which took Mumbai Indians to a respectable score. (Scorecard)

Usually, Kieron Pollard is sent in the slog overs as he can muscle the ball out of the stadium. But on Saturday, he showed that he can also be relied on for playing a long innings, batting through the overs. One could understand the move when Pollard walked in during the ninth over after the dismissal of Parthiv Patel. Amit Mishra was bowling, Pollard could just stand and deliver.

But when he hit his second six off Mishra, it was a leading edge. However, the power in his swing ensured the ball sailed over the long-off fielder. You knew it was Pollard’s day when that happened.

Mishra troubled him early on bowling really slow and even beat him a couple of times, but Pollard waited and waited, for the mistakes. Mishra wavered and was punished by Pollard.