England appoint Windies stalwart as assistant coach for 2024 T20 World Cup
England have roped in former West Indies all-rounder in the coaching setup for their title defence at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Kieron Pollard will be in England’s coaching setup for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA as an assistant coach, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on 24 December.
A globetrotter in franchise league cricket, Pollard brings with him vast experience of over 600 games in the shortest format.
For West Indies, the 36-year-old played 101 T20I, aggregating 1569 runs at a strike rate of 135.14 to go with his 42 wickets. He was part of the 2012 West Indies squad that won the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.
Video Player Highlights 21 Apr 22 03:15 Kieron Pollard dominates Australia at T20 World Cup 2012
This will be Pollard’s first assignment as a coach in the international circuit having retired from all formats of the game in April 2022. However, the former Windies star already boasts coaching credentials from his role as the current batting coach of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL), a position he assumed from the 2023 edition onward.
Pollard has been brought in to provide expertise on local conditions in the Caribbean Islands, the statement said. England recently toured the Caribbean Islands but came up short in a thrilling series that the hosts won 3-2.
View this post on Instagram
There was no shortage of entertainment in the series though, as both teams collectively hit 120 sixes in five matches, setting a record for the highest number of sixes in any T20I series.
Video T20 World Cup 13 Nov 22 04:19 England players react to their T20 World Cup 2022 title win England players react to their T20 World Cup 2022 title win
England’s overall form, however, in the shortest format has been a cause of concern since they won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. Since the tournament, they have yet to win a bilateral T20I series, losing series against Bangladesh (3-0) and West Indies and only managing a draw against New Zealand (2-2).
