IPL 2021: PBKS vs MI - Kieron Pollard says IPL sole focus, T20 World Cup 'irrelevant at this point'
Mumbai Indians (MI) all-rounder Kieron Pollard has said that he is focussing solely on the IPL action for now, adding that T20 World Cup is "irrelevant" at this point of time.
MI registered a comprehensive win over Punjab Kings in the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) game on Tuesday.
"To be honest, World Cup is irrelevant at this point of time, we are playing the IPL tournament. When you are in a tournament as an individual, you look to think about present and not look too far ahead. It is a matter of giving all the guys confidence and finding the best solutions. These are guys that have done the job for us, people on the outside do not understand what cricketers go through," said Pollard in the post-match press conference.
Pollard addressed the concerns over the nature of pitches in the ongoing Indian Premier League. A large number of games since the beginning of the second edition of the tournament have been low-scoring ones. Even as T20 World Cup is slated to be played on the same grounds, Pollard said that one has to adapt as a professional athlete.
"Why think about the T20 World Cup when we are playing the IPL. Let's deal with the present, everyone is going on about the pitches, but you cannot get what you want all the time. As a professional athlete, you need to adapt. For me, personally it is about staying in the present and dealing with what is in front of us as a team," said the West Indian.
In the game on Tuesday, MI restricted PBKS to 135/6 and chased down the target with an over to spare.
Pollard was named the man of the match for his all-round figures (2/8 and 15* off 7 deliveries).
"What we have is belief is one another and we believe we can get out of any situation. So, I think biggest thing for us is belief and we have put ourselves in this situation and the players and the management is sticking together," said the MI star.
