No Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma as Kieron Pollard names his top five T20 players

With the high-voltage T20 World Cup 2021, players and teams are gearing up to shine in the showpiece event. One of the players to watch out for in the competition is West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard. The dasher is truly a legend of this format and his records speak volumes of his prowess. While the right-handed batter can tonk the ball a long way, his ability to create magic while fielding makes him an even greater asset.

Not to forget, he can also chip in with handy overs. Having played over 550 matches in the 20-over format, Pollard has played alongside and against many prominent T20 stalwarts. In an interaction with the International Cricket Council (ICC), Pollard was named to pick his top five T20 players. While he took some prominent names, there were some notable absentees as well.

His West Indies teammate Chris Gayle was the first name on the list and not many can raise their eyebrows. The self-proclaimed ‘Universe Boss’ has been nothing but a nightmare for bowlers in this format. In fact, he is the only player to score over 13,000 T20 runs to date. Interestingly, Pollard didn’t go with either Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma.

Former Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga also found a place in Pollard’s list. The right-arm pacer was nothing but a wicket-taking machine during his playing days. His slinging action and accuracy gave hard times to many big guns. Pollard and Malinga have also shared the Mumbai Indians’ dressing room for a long time.

Another Caribbean to feature on this elite list was Sunil Narine. Starting his career in the early 2010s,the off-spinner didn’t take long in becoming3 one of the most sought-after players in T20 cricket. In the shortest format of the game, Narine has the third-most wickets in the world (419).

MS Dhoni only Indian in Kieron Pollard’s list  

The only Indian on the list was MS Dhoni. Hailed as one the sharpest thinker of the game, Dhoni’s ability to finish matches can’t be matched by many. The wicketkeeper is also a force to reckon with behind the stumps. With Pollard himself being a T20 stalwart he didn’t mind picking himself on the list.

“If it is my World XI T20, then I’ve got to be there, I have got to play. My records speak for itself when it comes to T20 cricket,” said Pollard as he named himself to complete the five.