Watch: Kieron Pollard gives an expressionless send off to Abdullah Shafique after stunning return catch

Among the most expressive of cricketers on the park, Kieron Pollard gave an interesting send-off to Abdullah Shafique during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) league-stage encounter on Saturday (March 4). 

Pollard, playing for the Multan Sultans, gave the Lahore Qalandards right-hander an expressionless send-off after a quick caught-and-bowled dismissal in the back half of the Qalandards’ batting effort at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. 

Delivering a slow full-pitcher, the West Indies stalwart had been smashed down the ground by Shafique, who couldn’t believe when all he could do is hammer the ball straight into the hands of the right-arm seamer. 

The moment the catch was made, Kieron Pollard initially gestured the batter to go off to the dressing room but then entered an expressionless avatar, perhaps unamused by the knock that Shafique managed to play against his team. 

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Kieron Pollard’s expressionless celebrations 

The incident happened on the fourth ball of the 13th over in the Qalandars’ first-innings batting effort. Running in to bowl at Shafique from the over-the-wicket angle, Kieron Pollard took an impressive catch despite the opposition right-hander absolutely hammering his full-pitcher. 

Keeping the pace down, Pollard perhaps managed to avoid the sweeter part of Shafique’s willow, which made the catch possible as he stood tall in a split-second and took the safest of reflex catches to ensure a wicket that the Sultans desperately needed. 

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With Shafique looking ominous at 48 off 35 deliveries, the Sultans had to strike or risk conceding irrevocable ground on a flat pitch where the Qalandards could’ve easily gotten a score in excess of 200. But they finished 20 short of that, thanks to Pollard’s brilliance with the ball and as a fielder. 

As cool as you like 😎@KieronPollard55 sends Abdullah Shafique on his way ☝️#HBLPSL8 | #SabSitarayHumaray | #LQvMS pic.twitter.com/nf70oabFBX

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 4, 2023

But it wasn’t so much about the wicket but the send-off that the Caribbean giant indulged instantly upon the dismissal, asking Shafique to make the long walk back and giving him an expressionless angry send-off to rub salt into the opposition wounds. 

As he has done over the years, Pollard managed to make an impact with his gentle medium-fast bowling, ending with figures of 2/16 off his 2 overs to ensure the Qalandards had to settle with 180/9, about 30 short of what they were once set up for.