MI put on a clinical show with both bat and the ball as they defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six wickets on Tuesday at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
MI chased down the target of 136 in 19 overs for the loss of just four wickets.
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Pollard was in the middle when MI scored the winning runs against PBKS. He said thinking too far ahead about the T20 World Cup is not how players go about their business.
“To be honest, (T20) World Cup is irrelevant at this point of time; we are playing the IPL tournament. When you are in a tournament as an individual, you look to think about present and not look too far ahead. It is a matter of giving all the guys confidence and finding the best solutions. These are guys that have done the job for us. People on the outside do not understand what cricketers go through.
“Why think about the T20 World Cup when we are playing the IPL? Let’s deal with the present.
Pollard also stressed on adapting to situations, when asked about the pitches in the UAE.
“Everyone is going on about the pitches, but you cannot get what you want all the time. As a professional athlete, you need to adapt. For me personally, it is about staying in the present and dealing with what is in front of us as a team,” he added.
Hardik Pandya starred with the bat for MI, as the all-rounder smashed an unbeaten 40* to carry his team over the victory line. Saurabh Tiwary and Kieron Pollard also played important innings of 45 and 15* respectively. Pollard also took two wickets for the defending champions as they restricted PBKS to 135.
“What we have is belief in one another and we believe we can get out of any situation. So, I think biggest thing for us is belief, and we have put ourselves in this situation and the players and the management are sticking together,” said Pollard.
Mumbai Indians will next square off against Delhi Capitals on Saturday.
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