#IPLGOAT QF: Pollard vs Narine
We started with 24 players and now we are left with only just 8. Now, the competition will only get fiercer and the choice tougher. In our last QF Match-Up, we have the two West Indian T-20 superstars facing off against each other; Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine. Who will make it to the Semis?
TheĀ #IPLGOATĀ is a knockout competition to determine the greatest IPL player of all time. We have done our homework and have come up with a list of 24 players. It will be a knock-out competition. Each day, you will see head to head matchups, with the winner progressing to the next round. The round of 24 will be followed by the Quarter-Finals, then the Semi-Finals, and ultimately the Grand Finale to determine the Greatest IPL player of all time. So what are you waiting for? Cast your vote and make it count.
Beware though, do not get carried away by merely the exploits of the current IPL; remember that you are selecting the Greatest IPL player ofĀ All Time! Choose wisely.
Follow us on FB and Twitter to keep track of the GOAT contest! Vote to see your favourite player crowned as the Greatest IPL Player of All Time. #IPLGOAT
We started with 24 players and now we are left with just 8. The competition will only get fiercer and the choice tougher. In the last of our Quarter Final Match-Up's, we have two West-Indian T-20 wizards, facing off against each other. Kieron Pollard is the hit-man, whose ability for brutal hitting meanss that no total is safe as long as he is at the crease. Sunil Narine is the quintessential mystery spinner, whose guiles have befuddled the greatest of the batsmen. In the previous round, Pollard managed to just scrape through past Shane Watson, while Sunil Narine had a relatively easier passage easing past Bravo and Ashwin. Now though, only one can progress to the Semi-Finals. Who will it be?
1. Kieron Pollard
The Stats:
Matches:Ā 105, Runs: 1949, Batting Average: 29.08, Strike Rate: 148.55, Wickets: 56, Bowling Average: 31.07, Economy Rate: 8.78
Claim to Greatness:
Kieron Pollard first shot to fame with a brutal innings of 54 off 18 balls playing for Trinidad and Tobago against New South Wales in the 2009 Champions League. So impressive was his hitting that New South Wales attempted to sign him for themselves immediately after the match. But it was not only New South Wales who were watching; he had caught the attention of all the IPL teams. In the 2010 IPL auction, teams were desperate to secure his services and after some seriously intense bidding, Mumbai Indians, the richest IPL team, acquired him. Ever since, he has become one of Mumbai Indians' key players, and has more than upheld the trust placed in him. With Pollard at the crease, no total is safe, and his mere presence intimidates the opposition. In the 2013 IPL final against the formidable Chennai Super Kings, he played a crucial knock of 60 runs, which was enough for him to win the Player of the Match award. He is also a clever bowler and an outstanding fielder.
2. Sunil Narine
The Stats:
Matches:Ā 62, Wickets: 80, Bowling Average: 18.67, Economy Rate: 6.07
Claim To Greatness:
IPL is a tournament dominated by batsmen. The boundaries are small, the pitches are flat and the bats are broad. One bowler though, who has thoroughly dominated the batsmen is Sunil Narine. He has bamboozled the best of the batsmen, casting a spell and bewitching both the opponentsĀ and the fans alike. In a format where an economy rate of 8 is considered impressive, he has an economy rate of 6.07! No other bowler has managed even an economy rate of 6.5. His variety and control has made him almost impossible to negotiate. So completeĀ has been his domination that, he is the bowler with the most 4 wicket hauls, despite playing only 62 matches. His record also boasts of a hat-trick. His best performance came in 2012, when he took 24 wickets at a staggering average of 13.5 and conceded less than run a ball. This stunning performance was one of the main reasons for Kolkata Knight Riders lifting the trophy that seasonĀ and Sunil Narine was rewarded with the player of the series award, the only time thus far that a bowler has won it.
