MI Legend Kieron Pollard Joins Super Kings In SA20, Graeme Smith Reacts

Kieron Pollard is now a Super Kings member. After years of representing the MI franchise in different T20 leagues such as the IPL, ILT20 and SA20, the West Indies superstar was roped in by Joburg Super Kings in the 2027 SA20 auction. The official SA20 handle posted: "What's just happened!? Joburg Super Kings immediately bid on Kieron Pollard and the bid goes unopposed. The West Indian will don the yellow at #BetwaySA20 for R1.5 million."

Notably, Pollard is currently the Mumbai Indians (MI) batting coach and the head coach of MI London in The Hundred in the UK. He also continues to play for MI Emirates and MI New York in the ILT20 and MLC, respectively. Now, he will join the four-time playoff-reaching JSK and boost their chances of winning a first-ever SA20 title. The tournament has so far been won three times by Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) and once by MI Cape Town (MICT) in 2025.

Pollard's move to the Super Kings is a major talking point, SA20 League commissioner Graeme Smith acknowledged.

"Look, I mean, Pollard is one of the most experienced T20 players in the world. The number of games that he's played, the different competitions around the world. You're talking a lot about youth, but just to have Pollard around and the experience that he will pass on to the likes of those under-23 players such as Jason Rowles, just sitting with him behind the scenes, never mind playing with him," Smith said during an interaction facilitated by SA20.

"I think the other thing about Pollard is that he's always been quite a forthright character. He doesn't really mince his words and he's highly competitive. So, bringing that type of nature into our tournament is exciting.

"Yeah, I mean, obviously it's a storyline because of his history with MI. I'll let Albie and Robin Peterson talk about their strategies between the two teams. But from a league perspective, seeing players of that quality is always exciting."

Joburg Super Kings head coach Albie Morkel said picking Pollard was an obvious choice.

"I was really surprised to see him in the auction in the first place and, from the information we gathered, he was still very keen to play. It's not that we asked him to come out of retirement. He's really keen to play in the tournament, and what he brings to our team is leadership, a winning mentality, toughness on the field and West Indian flair. I think it's something we can really use," Morkel said.

"He makes our middle and lower batting order really strong. He was a no-brainer for us. I do understand the history between the MI and Super Kings franchises very well. I have been a part of that. Of course, there will be disappointed MI fans, but I am sure he will have big support in Johannesburg," Morkel added.

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