Pooran and Pollard Reunite at MI Emirates for ILT20 2025

West Indies stars Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard will reunite once again, this time in the UAE, after MI Emirates announced the duo as their wildcard picks for the upcoming ILT20 2025 season.

Pooran and Pollard, who lifted both the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with Trinbago Knight Riders and the Major League Cricket (MLC) title with MI New York earlier this year, will bring their trademark power and experience to the MI Emirates lineup.

The franchise already boasts a strong Caribbean contingent, including Andre Fletcher, Ackeem Auguste, and Romario Shepherd, further enhancing the team’s firepower and flair. Fletcher, notably, was the most expensive buy at the inaugural ILT20 auction, fetching USD 260,000.

Pooran, now 30, continues to be one of the most in-demand T20 players globally, despite his surprise retirement from international cricket at 29. Alongside his ILT20 commitments, he is also part of MI Cape Town in South Africa’s SA20, which runs concurrently with the UAE league.

The fourth season of the ILT20 will be played across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah from December 2, 2025, to January 4, 2026, featuring six teams and a total of 34 matches.

MI Emirates Squad Overview

Auction Signings:
Muhammad Rohid (USD 140,000), Jordan Thompson (USD 48,000), Naveen-ul-Haq (USD 100,000), Andre Fletcher (USD 260,000), Nosthush Kenjige (USD 10,000), Mohamed Shafeeq (USD 10,000), Zain Ul Abidin (USD 10,000), Usman Khan (USD 10,000), Ackeem Auguste (USD 10,000), Arab Gul (USD 10,000), Tajinder Dhillon (USD 10,000), Zahoor Khan (USD 10,000), Shakib Al Hasan (USD 40,000).

Retentions + Direct Signings:
Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tom Banton, Romario Shepherd, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, AM Ghazanfar, Muhammad Waseem, Kamindu Mendis.

Wildcards:
Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard.

With Pollard’s leadership acumen and Pooran’s explosive batting at the top of the order, MI Emirates will be among the early favourites to contend for the ILT20 title this season.