Pollard retires out in Windies' crucial clash vs Bangladesh

T20 World Cup 2021: Pollard, who came in at No. 5, scored 8 off 16 balls, before walking back to the dressing room in the 13th over with Windies at 3 for 62.

Kieron Pollard of West Indies makes his way off after retiring hurt during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard retired hurt mid-innings in the Super 12 T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh in Sharjah on Friday.

Insterted into bat in a must-win game, West Indies struggled on a sluggish pitch with its top-order reduced to 3-32 inside the seventh over.

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Pollard, who came in at No. 5, scored 8 off 16 balls, before walking back to the dressing room in the 13th over with Windies at 3 for 62. 

The official reason hasn't come through yet, but it appeared to be a tactical call from the veteran all-rounder in a bid to give his side momentum with the bat in the second half of the innings.

Unfortunately for the Windies, new batter Andre Russell was run-out at the non-striker's end the very next ball after having backed up too far outside the crease.

In the final over of the innings, Pollard returned at the fall of the seventh wicket and hit a six off his final delivery to finish on 14 not out.

The official broadcaster's commentator and pundit VVS Laxman said, when asked about the move, "You would expect the captain the lead from the front and that was not nice to see, unless it was an injury-related issue."

Pollard didn't take the field at the start of the Bangladesh's chase with Hayden Walsh coming on as a replacement.

Windies finished on 142 for 7 thanks to a 22-ball 40 from Nicholas Pooran, who struck four sixes and a boundary.