In preparation for the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup set to take place in the Caribbean and USA from June 4-30 next year, England has enlisted the expertise of former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that the 36-year-old Pollard will serve as an assistant coach, focusing on providing insights into local conditions to the team led by Jos Buttler and coached by Matthew Mott.
Pollard's association with Buttler dates back to their time together at Somerset during the 2010-11 seasons and later at Mumbai Indians in the 2016-17 Indian Premier League (IPL) seasons. With an impressive international T20 career, including a Men’s T20 World Cup title in 2012 and participation in 101 matches, Pollard brings valuable experience to the coaching setup. Despite continuing to play in franchise T20 leagues, he has also captained Trinbago Knight Riders to the final in this year's Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and serves as the batting coach for Mumbai Indians, winning five IPL titles.
England had earlier brought in former Australia batter Mike Hussey as a consultant for the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup, resulting in a successful campaign where they lifted the trophy. In contrast, during England's ODI World Cup defense in India, they faced challenges but did not have a former cricketer from the country as a consultant. England men’s managing director, Rob Key, took responsibility for this and acknowledged the need for such a figure in major events.
The 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup will mark the ninth edition of the tournament, featuring 20 teams divided into four groups for the initial round. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Eight stage, where they will compete in two groups of four, with the top two sides from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
Hosts West Indies and USA, along with Australia, defending champions England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, have already secured their spots in the competition. Additionally, Ireland, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Nepal, Oman, Namibia, and Uganda earned qualifications through regional tournaments.
The tournament will be held across various venues in the United States, including Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Broward County in Lauderhill, Florida, and Nassau County in New York. In the Caribbean, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago will serve as hosts, with Dominica withdrawing as a competition venue due to construction delays on the stadium.
(With Agency Inputs)
