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Kieron Pollard withdraws from Joburg Super Kings ahead of SA20 2027

West Indies all-rounder steps aside after being appointed Mumbai Indians head coach.

By , Editor

· 1 min read

Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard (file photo) Photo: bob walker / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Kieron Pollard has told Joburg Super Kings he will not play in SA20 2027. The decision came after his formal appointment as Mumbai Indians head coach. Cricbuzz reported the development.

Key takeaways

  • Pollard informed Joburg Super Kings of his unavailability for SA20 2027.
  • The decision came after he was appointed Mumbai Indians head coach.
  • Joburg Super Kings bought him for R1.5 million at the SA20 auction earlier this month.
  • Kasi Viswanathan said the franchise will now seek a replacement.
  • Mumbai Indians said it gave Pollard no instructions on the matter.

Kieron Pollard has withdrawn from Joburg Super Kings for SA20 2027, Sportstiger reported, citing Cricbuzz. The West Indies all-rounder informed the Joburg-based franchise of his unavailability shortly after being formally appointed head coach of Mumbai Indians. Joburg Super Kings had bought him for R1.5 million at the SA20 auction earlier this month.

Why it matters

Joburg Super Kings is a South African subsidiary of Chennai Super Kings, Crictracker said. The season runs from January 17 to February 21. Kasi Viswanathan, Chief Executive Officer of Chennai Super Kings and all Super Kings franchises, confirmed the development and said the franchise would now look for a replacement player. Mumbai Indians said it applied no pressure on Pollard regarding his decision. "It’s up to KP on the matter. We have given no instructions," an MI source said.

What happens next

Joburg Super Kings will seek a replacement player for the SA20 2027 campaign. Pollard will focus on his role as Mumbai Indians head coach.

Pollard’s franchise history

Pollard's long association with Mumbai Indians in the IPL remains significant.

Auction context

At the SA20 auction held in early October, MI Cape Town acquired Shimron Hetmyer for R1.5 million instead of pursuing Pollard. Both players occupy similar roles in the middle order. "It all depended on the auction order. Both Hetmyer and KP perform the same role in the middle order. Hetmyer’s name came up first, and we could not have waited for Pollard. What was the guarantee that no other team would compete with us and we would get him at the auction?" an MI source explained.

Sources

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