ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2021

October 26, 2021

Kieron Pollard

Dubai International Stadium

West Indies

Post Match Media Conference

Q. Just briefly talk us through your immediate thoughts and feelings following the match.

KIERON POLLARD: I'm obviously disappointed. I thought we left about 20, 25 runs out there when we batted, and that could have made a difference in terms of how we finished off because we got off to a pretty decent start in terms of getting that 40 odd in the powerplay without losing a wicket, and that was our opportunity to try to step a foot on the gas a bit and rotate the strike a bit more and try to get to that 160.

Again, it didn't happen. We got to 143. I also believe that my dismissal in that last over I thought was crucial because we knew they had an over to make up and I was banking on that. But again, these happen. When things are going a certain way, certain decisions, certain calls, you don't get.

Q. You mentioned the powerplay there; in some respects did the slow powerplay overs put you on the back foot in terms of setting a big total for South Africa to chase?

KIERON POLLARD: Again, sometimes we look at 40 or close to 50 sometimes in the powerplay. What has transpired over the last couple of games, sometimes we have lost too many wickets.

Sometimes you have to give and take. We didn't lose any wickets in the powerplay, so I think that was one of the most important things, and it was a matter of us trying to build the momentum, get it into the last phase or the last quarter of the innings. I thought we got a bit stuck in the middle overs and after a good sort of decent powerplay, getting 14 runs or 15 runs in four overs, I thought that's where we got stuck a bit. Then we just tried to up the ante. But it's always going to be difficult with new guys coming in to bat.

Q. Essentially how does the team bounce back from this now?

KIERON POLLARD: Well, we just have to do what it takes. We have to dig deeper as a team. We have to dig deeper as a batting unit. We have to come out and hold our heads up and try to play a good game of cricket.

We have to get wins on the board now. We've put ourselves in a position whereas from a run rate perspective that's pretty low, and from a win percentage we haven't won any games, so we have to win the next three games. We just have to take it one at a time and try to improve each and every time.

Q. West Indies have been unapologetic in taking a knee before the start of each game. Today is the first time South Africa did so, and they were missing a player who didn't want to participate in this. What do you guy think of that and also of teams who have not been taking a knee?

KIERON POLLARD: For me personally I don't know of any player who didn't want to take it. I'm not aware of that. So this is sort of news to us or to me.

But you know, you guys know our thoughts on this matter. It's something that we feel strongly about as a team and as a people, as well, and we will continue to do it.

Each and everyone has their own opinions on it, but as I've always said, once you're educated and you understand, we will understand you doing it, but I think education sort of is the key, and we don't want anyone doing it for us in solitude or to feel sorry for us.

I'm not aware of which individual you speak about, but I'm guessing afterwards someone will increase my knowledge capacity on what actually transpired.

Q. The player was Quinton de Kock, and you obviously played with him at the Mumbai Indians. You speak about education and those type of things. Do you think a few conversations with him is required?

KIERON POLLARD: Again, I can't speak on something that I don't know. I guess you guys know more than me. If I sit here I'm going to speculate as to what actually transpired in all honesty.

Again, if it's an educational thing, I guess then there's persons are wrong to educate. I don't think it's my job at this present time to educate. I think I have a lot more on my plate in terms of leading our team, and we're in a position where we need to win cricket games. I don't think that's my forte at the minute.

Q. I just wanted to ask, the conditions here are pretty dry and slow; the heat is pretty scorching. Do you feel Roston Chase could come in to play in the next match, given that the West Indies team, your team, hasn't found the right combination when it comes to winning matches in this tournament?

KIERON POLLARD: So what you said, that we haven't found the right combination?

Q. I'm just asking you. I think Roston Chase could become a handy player in this condition.

KIERON POLLARD: I think Roston has done well. He has done exceptionally well to get into the squad. We as a team will sit down and assess conditions, assess the teams we're coming up against and make a decision.

When you look at the last game, we had one spinner basically because it was 2:00, as well. We added another spinner, which was Hayden Walsh, as well.

Again, it's something that we can look at, but as I keep saying all the time, sometimes when you're not playing, your stocks tend to rise until you actually get your opportunity. But if given the opportunity I know he's looking forward to it.

We have a couple of days to think about it. I don't want to sit here and preempt anything straight after a game, and let's see the opposition we're coming up against, let's see their combinations what most likely can happen, and we'll try to always put our best team forward. When we sit to select a team, I think it's not about personnel, it's about the combination, it's about the ground. We take everything into consideration. So let's see what happens in three or four days' time.

Q. After this incident that you have just known about that Quinton de Kock refused to take the knee and you have played with him in the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, do you feel that development can change your personal relationship with Quinton?

KIERON POLLARD: As I previously said, all I'm hearing is what has happened. I don't know the truth and fact of the actual matter, so you telling me or the other guys telling me, I can't just take that and have an answer or speculation in terms of relationship and all that. That's getting too deep at this present time.

I think it's something that I need to actually know about, hear about, understand what actually transpired, and then I might have a comment on it, but as of right now, yes, he has been my teammate in Mumbai Indians, we have played cricket together. That's where the buck stops in terms of everything else. Everything else is speculation. Let's see what happens after. Let me have an opportunity to digest; don't try to get anything out of me that I don't want to say.

Q. Simmons was in really good form like even in the CPL he's got back-to-back fifties, I believe, but he's had a fairly rough start to the tournament. The pitches have been slow, but it is a bit of concern going forward for you at the top that Simmons is in rough form in this tournament?

KIERON POLLARD: As I just said just now, for me I think as a team and as a unit we have not batted well. I'm not going to sit here and single out any individuals. I'm not going to throw any of my teammates under the bus. We came here as a West Indies team to do a job, and when we win, we win together. When we lose, we lose together.

We will sit down as a team, as a management, as a selection group and decide what we're going to do going forward, but as it stands right now, I thought that we didn't bat well collectively as a team. Evin Lewis was outstanding, the start that he gave us as an individual, but we kept losing wickets at crucial times.

With that being said, we'll have some time, we'll think about it, and hopefully we come back with the right sort of combination or the right mindset in order to put some more runs on the board.

From where we were to where we are now, sometimes you have to look at it, and it's a bit of an improvement, but it was not good enough for us to get over the line.