Pollard's unfair way of keeping strike sparks off social media debate, Harsha terms it 'deliberate'

Photo: BCCI

New Delhi: A social media debate sparked off with prominent faces like Harsha Bhogle getting involved after Kieron Pollard touched his bat well before the crease in an attempt to keep the strike at the last over of the match against Kings XI Punjab.

Mumbai Indians needed 16 off the last over when on-field umpires signaled for a one short against Pollard. Replayed conveyed Pollard did not even try to get his bat over the line and took off for the second run just to keep the strike with him for the final 5 balls off Mohit Sharma.

 

The means adopted by Pollard did not come into any use as he failed to hit a single boundary off the remaining deliveries and Kings XI Punjab went on to win the match by 7 runs. Pollard remained unbeaten on 50 off 24 balls.

However, Pollard’s actions did not go down well with many cricket pundits who termed is as a deliberate and unfair mean. 

Won't be surprised if Pollard ran one short deliberately to keep strike

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 11, 2017

@bhogleharsha how can the 2nd run be counted as proper run wen the 1st one was short...need corrections in rules

— Rushabh Shah (@Rushabh_Fire) May 11, 2017

@bhogleharsha Isn't it agnst game spirit? Purely cheating!But as a batsman, he ll b allowed to do it! Why can't umpire call him back to non striker end

— nilesh singh (@nilesh_99) May 11, 2017

@vencric @bhogleharsha @KieronPollard55 They are always at the bottom of fair play not without reason. For them end justifies the means! Cricket for MI is not gentlemen game.

— Ramachandran K (@ramjay1958) May 12, 2017

This is not the first time when Pollard was involved in a notorious on-field activity. He had an infamous tussle with Mitchell Starc in an IPL match and when he asked to keep quiet by the on-field umpires he decided to tape-up his mouth for a considerable amount of time while fielding.