In a hilarious on-field moment, MI New York (MINY) all-rounder Kieron Pollard playfully smacked Los Angeles Knight Riders’ (LAKR) Andre Russell on the backside with his bat. The light-hearted incident occurred during Match 27 of the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) season on Saturday, July 5, at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Lauderhill, Florida.
On the final ball of the 11th over in New York’s innings, Pollard pushed the ball wide of Russell, who dived in an attempt to stop it but ended up lying face-down on the ground. As Pollard completed the single, he hilariously smacked Russell on the backside with his bat, leaving everyone in splits.
Watch the video here:
Put in to bat, MI New York got off to a shaky start, losing both openers — Monank Patel (13) and Quinton de Kock (0) — early in the innings. Tajinder Dhillon (2) couldn’t make an impact either, while skipper Nicholas Pooran briefly steadied the innings with a handy 30 off 24 balls.
In the middle order, Kieron Pollard offered some resistance, standing tall with a crucial 50 off 36 balls, which included one four and four sixes. MINY eventually posted 142/9 in their 20 overs. For the Knight Riders, Shadley van Schalkwyk was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with three wickets.
Kieron Pollard also contributes with a wicket as MINY clinch a 6-run victory
Chasing 143, the Los Angeles Knight Riders suffered an early setback with the dismissal of Andre Fletcher (9). Alex Hales and Unmukt Chand steadied the innings with a 57-run stand off 52 balls for the second wicket before the former fell for 21 off 26.
Chand then partnered with Sherfane Rutherford to add 55 runs off 46 deliveries for the third wicket. Rutherford scored 29 off 28, while Chand reached a half-century before being retired out for 59 off 48, with 16 runs needed from the final over.
Even with big-hitters Andre Russell and captain Jason Holder at the crease, Ehsan Adil kept his composure in the final over to secure a six-run victory for MI New York, with LAKR finishing at 136/4 after 20 overs.
Meanwhile, Kieron Pollard was named Player of the Match for scoring 50 and returning figures of 1/12 from two overs.
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