Gambles we took paid off, says Pollard

The 24-year-old Trinidadian, who scored a blistering 64 off 33 balls and grabbed four for 44, referred to bringing back pace spearhead Lasith Malinga to bowl the 15th over and his promotion in the batting order, as the two gambles taken by his team.

"We took a gamble in bringing back Malinga (in the 15th over) to get a wicket as Owais Shah was batting pretty well. So we took the gamble and it worked for us. Some days it would work, some day's it wouldn't.

"This is T20 cricket. It just takes just one chance and one over to change the game," he said after MI's 27-run victory last night that pitchforked the team into the top of the league table.

Malinga stumped Royals' charge by getting rid off Shah, who made a belligerent 76 off 42 balls, off the first ball of his new spell, which turned the match in MI's favour.

About his promotion in the batting order Pollard said, "I batted at 5 today. (In the) first game I didn't bat, (in the) second game I batted at 7. Some days it would come off, some days it wouldn't. Today it was a good day and it came off.

"I just play my game and know exactly what to do. I am coming off a series against Australia (T20 and ODI). It's just a matter of continuing (what I did), adapting to the conditions here in India, continue what I was doing. I would take it from there, game by game and situation by situation (batting higher up)," he said.