MI Emirates captain Kieron Pollard was involved in a heated exchange in the ILT20 2025-26 final as Desert Vipers’ Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah provoked him. The heated altercation took place during MI Emirates’ run chase at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on January 4 but it did not escalate as umpires and Desert Vipers players intervened.
The incident took place after the last ball of the 11th over. Naseem angled it in and Pollard got an inside edge on to his pad. The pacer smiled as he collected the ball and said something to the Caribbean all-rounder which irked him. Pollard walked up to Naseem but soon enough the on-field umpire and Jason Roy intervened. Naseem was taken off the attack after bowling his third over.
Earlier, Naseem gave a fiery send-off to MI Emirates opener Andre Fletcher as well. With the new ball, he got the wicket of Tom Banton as well.
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In the end, Naseem had the last laugh against Pollard. He was brought back into the attack to bowl the 17th over. MI Emirates needed 61 runs from 24 balls. Pollard went for the big shot but he was caught at deep backward square leg by substitute fielder Sanjay Pahal. The skipper departed for a run-a-ball 28. Naseem ended with bowling figures of three wickets for 18 runs.
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Following Pollard’s dismissal, MI Emirates were bowled out for 136 in 18.3 overs. They lost the final by 46 runs as the target of 183 turned out to be too challenging for them. Curran-led Vipers won their first ILT20 title. It is also the English all-rounder’s first trophy as captain.
Pollard on losing the final
Pollard rued losing a few key players for the final. He refrained from giving excuses but pointed at inexperience among a few players. He had backed himself to take on Usman Tariq but it did not go his way.
“If I'm being honest, within the field, the way we started. I saw how you guys had fun with the bloopers on the screen -- you need to be sharp. When you minus those 15-20 runs, 160 is a chaseable total. A couple of guys were enjoying the atmosphere for the first time; this is where you want to stand up, and we didn't. The Vipers are the deserving winners,” Pollard said in the post-match presentation.
“I thought 180 was chaseable on that pitch. I was gonna try to get 18-20 in that Usman over, but it didn't work out. Sometimes you have a plan and a process, but it doesn't go through. Vipers stuck to it right till the end. Sam batted well; batted throughout the innings and having a set batter posting 180 was always going to be challenging,” he added.