Former West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard has opted out of his contract with Joburg Super Kings (JSK) and will not participate in the 2027 edition of the SA20 tournament. Pollard was signed by JSK at the auction earlier this month, but the franchise has confirmed that the player has communicated his decision to withdraw.
According to reports, JSK can now sign a replacement from outside the auction pool to fill the vacant spot in their squad ahead of the upcoming season.
Pollard's decision comes shortly after he was announced as the new head coach of Mumbai Indians (MI) for the 2027 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Both Mumbai Indians and MI Cape Town, which competes in the SA20, are owned by the same group. His withdrawal from the JSK deal also avoids the possibility of him playing against another franchise associated with the Mumbai Indians ownership.
Pollard previously represented MI Cape Town during the 2024 and 2025-26 SA20 seasons, featuring in 12 matches and scoring 207 runs at an impressive strike rate of 171.07. However, MI Cape Town did not bid for him during the auction for the next season, paving the way for JSK to secure his services for Rand 1.5 million, approximately US$90,272.
The 39-year-old remains closely associated with the Mumbai Indians franchise network. In addition to his new role with the IPL side, Pollard coaches MI London in The Hundred and has represented MI New York in Major League Cricket and MI Emirates in the ILT20.
Despite stepping away from the SA20 contract, Pollard continues to feature as a player in franchise cricket around the world. His most recent appearance came for Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2026, held during August and September.
Pollard is also on the verge of achieving a major milestone in T20 cricket. He is just one run short of becoming only the second batter in the format's history, after Jos Buttler, to reach 15,000 career runs.
The 2027 edition of the SA20 is scheduled to begin on January 17. Before the tournament gets underway, Pollard will turn his attention to the IPL auction, where he will take charge of Mumbai Indians' preparations in his new role as head coach.
