'Malinga over won the match for us'

Big-hitting West Indian all-rounder Kieron Pollard says the gamble Mumbai Indians took worked for the team in the win over Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.

The 24-year-old Trinidadian, who scored a blistering 64 off 33 balls and grabbed four for 44, referred to bringing back pace spearhead Lasith Malinga to bowl the 15th over and his promotion in the batting order as the two gambles taken by his team.

“We took a gamble in bringing back Malinga (in the 15th over) to get a wicket as Owais Shah was batting pretty well and it worked for us. Some days it would work, some day’s it wouldn’t.

“This is T20 cricket. It just takes just one chance and one over to change the game,” he said after MI’s 27-run victory on Wednesday night that pitchforked the team into the top of the league table.

Malinga stumped Royals’ charge by getting rid off Shah, who made a belligerent 76 off 42 balls, off the first ball of his new spell, which turned the match in MI’s favour.

About his promotion in the batting order, Pollard said: “I batted at five today. (In the) first game I didn’t bat and (in the) second game I batted at 7. Some days it would come off, some days it wouldn’t. Today it was a good day and it came off.

“I just play my game and know exactly what to do. I am coming off good a series against Australia (T20 and ODI). It’s just a matter of continuing (what I did), adapting to the conditions here in India, continue what I was doing. I would take it from there, game by game and situation by situation (batting higher up),” he said. 

The West Indian all-rounder, who pulled off a few outstanding stops while fielding besides taking a catch, was happy to get his first fifty in his IPL career and said it would boost his confidence.