Pollard hits form ahead of IPL

In only his second match after being sidelined for six months by a knee injury, Kieron Pollard struck form with a match-winning century for Trinidad & Tobago in the Caribbean first-class competition. The news was a boost to Pollard's IPL team, Mumbai Indians, who will start the new season of the tournament as defending champions.

"Not playing cricket for six months, I was really disappointed but these things happen," Pollard said. "I got injured and coming back, I just wanted to do my best. The first game, I didn't set myself any goals, just being on the cricket field and lasting that four days, and I actually did that. And the second game, I set myself to get a big [score] and it happened, thank God for that. I've been through a lot but these things happen."

Pollard's last match before picking up the injury was the Champions League final in which he picked up three wickets to set up Mumbai Indians' second title win. One of the five players retained by the franchise ahead of the 2014 auction, Pollard said he was looking forward to the new edition of the IPL.

"We're the defending champions so the pressure is always there," he said. "You always want to win that tournament. For me, it's to do whatever is required, it's Twenty20 cricket, it's not every day you're going to come off so it's what the team requires at that point in time and adjust their game to suit," Pollard said. "I'm three-dimensional in terms of batting, bowling and fielding so I just want to go out there and do my best."

Talking about the knee injury that was sustained during a charity football match, Pollard said, "for me, I think football is off the cards for now. I'm concentrating on cricket. Football has cost me six months, a major career-threatening injury so some things you just have to put on the back-burner, and you learn from that. At the end of the day, I still watch football. I'm a Manchester United fan so that will be enough."