IPL flashback: Kieron Pollard's quirky protest

NEW DELHI: Kieron Pollard found a novel way to protest after being issued a warning by the on-field umpires for chatting up Chris Gayle during an Indian Premier League match last year on April 19 against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
During the early days of IPL 2015, Mumbai Indians were on a four-match losing streak and travelled to Bangalore with an aim break the rut against RCB. Put into bat, Mumbai Indians posted a huge 209/7 thanks to half-centuries from Lendl Simmons (59) and Unmukt Chand (58) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
RCB chase began with the Chris Gayle and Manivnder Bisla. Three overs into the hunt, RCB were 12/0 and then a strange sight caught everyone's attention. MI allrounder Pollard was seen fielding with a tape over his mouth.
He was told to maintain his distance with RCB opener Gayle after being involved in an animated argument with his West Indian team-mate earlier in the third over. The umpires promptly intervened, asking Pollard to dial it down.
'Come on! Nothing happened, we are just friends!'
Unhappy with the ultimatum, Pollard responded by marching towards the MI dugout and returned with a cello tape pasted on his mouth. The strange but funny sight left everyone including the umpires in splits. After some time, apparently after he had made his point, the tape came off. That, however, was the only highlight for him in the match as he scored just five runs and bowled one wicketless over for nine runs.
He later on clarified on his act saying media should not read too much into his on-field exchange with Gayle.

MI though recorded an 18-run win against RCB to record their first win of the season and put their stuttering campaign back on the track.