The Hundred 2022: Kieron Pollard becomes first cricketer to play 600 matches in T20 cricket

Former West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard became the first cricketer to play 600 matches in T20 cricket on August 8, Monday. He achieved the feat playing for London Spirit against Manchester Originals in the Hundred at Lord’s in London. He made his T20 debut back in July 2006 for Trinidad & Tobago.

Pollard made his T20I debut in June 2008 and went on to appear in 101 matches. The 2012 T20 World Cup winner captained West Indies in the 2021 T20 World Cup in Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and hung up his boots from international cricket three months later.

Kieron Pollard marks 600th game in trademark manner

Pollard is generally a middle-order batter and a finisher who also bowls a few overs as the sixth bowler. He scored 1,569 runs at a strike rate of 135.14 and an average of 25.30 with a top score of unbeaten 75, which is the highest score by a West Indian at the number six position in T20Is. 

Pollard also has 99 T20I sixes, which is the third-most for a West Indies batter, among many other records. He was also part of the West Indian team that won the T20 World Cup in 2012 in Sri Lanka. In his 600 T20 games, he has scored 11,723 runs at a strike rate of 151.22 with a top score of 104.

In his 600th game, the 35-year-old power-hitter marked the occasion with a trademark innings, scoring an unbeaten 34 runs off 11 balls with a four and four sixes and taking his team to the 160-run mark by the end of the innings. The foundation was initially set up by opener Zak Crawley, who scored 41 runs off 34 balls, complemented by the skipper Eoin Morgan, who scored 37 runs off 26 balls.

For Manchester Originals, it was their opener, Philip Salt, who top-scored with 36 runs off 34 balls. However, none of the other batters went past the 20-run mark, with eight batters not even getting into double figures. Consequently, they were bowled out for 108 in 98 balls. London Spirit fast bowler Jordan Thompson starred with the ball, picking up four wickets for 21 runs in 20 balls.