ICC World T20: Kieron Pollard on West Indies' victory in 2012
All-rounder's 'dibbly-dobbers' came up trumps...
By David Ruse
Last Updated: 13/03/16 3:13pm
West Indies won the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 in style - and celebrated Gangnam Style!
The fleet-of-foot Chris Gayle led the team's victory dance after they defeated Sri Lanka by 36 runs in the final in Colombo to claim their first world crown since the 2004 Champions Trophy.
Big hitting all-rounder Kieron Pollard - who has played in more T20 games than any other player - was in that side but won't be this time around having been ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury.
However, we caught up with the Trinidadian to discuss West Indies' win four years ago and whether they can launch a repeat in India…
What were the secrets to your success in 2012?
KP: "I don't think there were too many secrets. We struggled through the group stage after losing to Australia and having our game with Ireland rained off, but we just stuck together as a team as we knew we had some really good players.
"Our batting line-up could cope with every eventuality - we had the power of Chris Gayle and Johnson Charles up top and Marlon Samuels' stability at No 3, while down the order you had guys like myself, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and Darren Sammy who could clear the ropes.
"Plus, the bowling department also had two good spinners in Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree as well as the pace of Fidel Edwards and Ravi Rampaul. There was great balance all the way through and we always thought we could chase down or defend any total."
What are you memories of the win over Sri Lanka in the final, where Samuels scored 78 and Sunil Narine took 3-9?
KP: "Samuels produced one of the greatest knocks you will see in T20 cricket - he dug in for much of his innings after we fell to 14-2 in the sixth over but also deposited the best T20 bowler in the world at the time, Lasith Malinga, into the stands.
"That gave us real confidence heading into the changing rooms ahead of Sri Lanka's innings. We knew we had to play well against their batting line-up which featured Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara but Samuels' knock gave us a positive mind-set.
"Sammy's 26 off 15 balls helped as well and I think he led the team really well throughout. He is a good, fun guy who always tried to make everyone happy, relaxed and comfortable - that is a hard thing to do in a major tournament but he did it and was a key reason for us winning.
"I always knew what Narine was capable of, too, having played with and against him since the age of about 13. If he needed to practise something in the nets I was like his guinea pig - I had to deal with plenty of his world-class deliveries!"
You had a pretty quiet tournament, if you don't mind me saying, but you came up trumps in the semi-final win over Australia...
KP: "I managed to hit three sixes in a row off Xavier Doherty - though it wasn't my best as I had hit four in a row in a T20 match in the Caribbean! Seriously, though, it was nice to make that contribution as you want to bring out your best performances in the biggest games.
I am not the greatest bowler in the world - I don't have any pace, I don't swing it and I don't seam it - but I always back myself in any situation.
Kieron Pollard
"I scored 38 from 15 balls and my partnership with Gayle helped us to a pretty formidable total of 205, before I took the crucial wicket of George Bailey with one of my dibbly-dobbers when he was on 63.
"I am not the greatest bowler in the world - I don't have any pace, I don't swing it and I don't seam it - but I always back myself in any situation. I got Pat Cummins next ball before Mitchell Starc denied me a hat-trick, though I wasn't thinking too much about that."
West Indies have had their troubles in Test and ODI cricket recently but sit third in the ICC T20 rankings. Are you confident the side can win another World T20?
KP: "Sometimes when you go in as favourites and everyone talks about you having the best balanced team or the best big hitters you can get distracted.
"West Indians just try to play every game on its merits - focus on flair, enjoy themselves, play consistent cricket and give the fans something to cheer.
"When you think about things too much you put pressure on yourself but when you are relaxed the situations become a lot easier - the key is to keep calm, talk nonsense on the side and then take care of the game your way. If we do that, we have a chance."
Finally, you will miss the World T20 through injury meaning, for the time being, you are stranded on just the 299 T20 games!
"I am devastated to miss the tournament but these things happen in sport so you have to accept them. The fact I've played more T20s than anyone else is no consolation but I do see that stat as a real achievement.
"Some people don't rate T20 cricket but it has always been cricket as far as I am concerned - it's bat versus ball and the only difference is the length of the game. Hopefully I've got many more matches to come."
Watch West Indies play England in their opening World T20 games from 1.30pm, Wednesday, Sky Sports 2.
