Pollard, Rashid to lead MI teams in UAE and S Africa leagues

NEW DELHI : West Indies stalwart Kieron Pollard will lead MI Emirates and Afghan all-rounder Rashid Khan will captain MI Cape Town in the two new T20 leagues beginning next month, the owners of the franchises said on Friday.

The owners of the Indian Premier League team Mumbai Indians expanded their footprint this year, acquiring franchises in the International League T20 (ILT20) in the United Arab Emirates and the SA20 in South Africa.

"We have an amazing mix of talent, experience, and passion in both our captains," Akash Ambani, chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm, which owns the three teams, said in a statement.

"I'm convinced that Polly and Rashid will take forward the MI ethos and MI brand of cricket."

Pollard ended his 13-season IPL career with Mumbai Indians last month only to join the league's most successful team as their batting coach.

At the ILT20, which begins in Dubai on Jan. 13, Pollard's team mates will include fellow West Indians Dwayne Bravo and Nicholas Pooran.

The English trio of Jofra Archer, Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone will play under Rashid in the SA20 beginning on Jan. 10 in Cape Town.