CPL T20 Cricket Update: All-rounder Kieron Pollard opted to stand far away from the non-end striker's to protest an umpiring decision that went against his team, setting a fresh example of "social distance" in cricket. Pollard's Trinbago Knight Riders were playing St. Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League 2021 when the event occurred.
Wahab Riaz delivered a wide ball in the 19th over of the innings. The line umpire did not indicate wide while Tim Seifert, the batter, tried to reach the ball. Seifert and Pollard were both dissatisfied with the decision. While the former had no option but to accept it, the latter chose to demonstrate.
Pollard disagreed with the umpire about the judgement in the video, which has now gone viral, and after fruitless negotiations, he chose to walk away in protest. Before returning to his normal place, the veteran took a walk and stood around the 30-yard mark.
With a dominant 27-run win against St Lucia Kings, the Knight Riders, the defending champions, put their CPL 2021 campaign back on track after a shaky start. Knight Riders had lost a dramatic chase by five runs against Kings two days prior, but this game featured no such blunders.
First, an end-overs blitz by Kieron Pollard and Tim Seifert propelled Knight Riders to 158 for 7 in the live T20 match, a lofty total on a sluggish wicket. The bowlers then used precision and deception to hold the Kings batsmen at bay, limiting them to 131 for 7.