MI Emirates Signs Kieron Pollard as Wildcard for Upcoming ILT20 Season

Dubai, November 14 (Daily Kiran) : MI Emirates has officially signed Kieron Pollard as a wildcard player for the upcoming season of the ILT20. The announcement was made on Saturday, November 14, 2026. Pollard has been a part of the team since 2023.

The team shared the news on their social media, stating, “Wildcard. Locked. Polly is coming home.”

Last season, Pollard was also brought in as a wildcard player alongside Nicholas Pooran after the league’s first auction. MI Emirates came close to winning the trophy but fell short in the finals against the Desert Vipers.

Pollard’s addition is expected to significantly strengthen MI Emirates’ batting lineup. He ranks among the most successful T20 batsmen, holding the second position in all-time runs. With a total of 14,999 runs at an average of 31.71 and a strike rate of 150.92 from 754 matches, Pollard is just 63 runs shy of surpassing England’s Jos Buttler to become the highest run-scorer in T20 history.

After taking on the role of head coach for MI London in the Men’s Hundred, Pollard stepped down from that position in early November. He has also parted ways with his playing contract at Joburg Super Kings in the SA20.

At MI Emirates, Pollard will work under head coach Mark Boucher, who has replaced former all-rounder Robin Singh. The next season of the ILT20 is set to run from November 21 to December 20, 2026, across Sharjah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.

Pollard has a long-standing relationship with the MI group, having first joined the Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2010. He played for the team until 2022, during which they secured five titles. Following his playing career, he became the batting coach and has now been appointed as head coach for IPL 2027.