Mumbai Indians enjoyed a thrilling finish at Dharamsala on Thursday, beating Punjab Kings in the final over. However, the victory’s glow has been dimmed by a disciplinary development involving batting coach Kieron Pollard.
Pollard has been charged with using an “audible obscenity” during the 19th over of Mumbai Indians’ chase. At the close of the 18th over, MI still required 28 runs from 12 deliveries, and the dugout was visibly tense. The next over began with Will Jacks facing Australian fast bowler Xavier Bartlett, with a six off the first ball potentially providing a much-needed lift—yet something in that over clearly unsettled Pollard enough for him to lose his composure and direct an expletive.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) and the BCCI have not clarified exactly when Pollard’s outburst occurred or what specific moment triggered it. What is clear, though, is that the West Indian—who was part of Mumbai’s title-winning squads in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020—has accepted that he was wrong.
Pollard has been fined 15% of his applicable match fee and received one demerit point. The IPL release also stated that the sanction was handed out for breaching Level 1 of the league’s Code of Conduct for Players and Team officials.
He was found to have violated Article 2.3 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which covers the “use of an audible obscenity during a match.” The incident took place in the 19th over of the second innings, when Pollard used abusive language towards the fourth umpire. Pollard admitted the offence and accepted the punishment set by the match referee, Pankaj Dharmani.
MI’s Dharmasala chase: the win that came before the controversy
- On Thursday night, Mumbai Indians returned to winning ways by chasing 201 successfully with one ball remaining.
- MI finished the chase with six wickets in hand.
- Tilak Varma struck consecutive sixes off the fourth and fifth balls of the 20th over to propel his side over the line.
- Varma stayed unbeaten on 75 from 33 balls.
- A decisive 56-run partnership for the fifth wicket was formed between Varma and Will Jacks, coming off 20 deliveries.
- The result marked Mumbai’s second victory in their last three matches.
- Even with the win, the franchise remains out of playoff contention and is now playing primarily for pride.
