Watch: Mankad out in MLC 2025? Former MI Player warns Ex-CSK player

Mankad dismissals have always been a talking point in the game for the last few years, especially in the shortest format of the game. Since Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Jos Buttler during the IPL 2018 clash between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings, it has taken a new route in the game. In MLC 2025, two former CSK and MI players got engaged in the same fashion. 

It was the second qualifier contest between the Texas Super Kings and the MI New York at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, where both teams were fighting hard to get themselves into the final spot. Mumbai came behind the points table and displayed some crazy performances towards the end of the season to get themselves in that scenario.

The incident happened on the third ball of the eighth over in the first innings. Kieron Pollard, the former MI player, was about to deliver his ball. But on his run-up, he stopped before delivering the ball and gave a warning to the Texas captain, Faf du Plessis, who was coming out of his crease.

Watch; Kieron Pollard warns Faf du Plessis of a Mankad dismissal in MLC 2025

Faf was not taking any benefit of the game, given that he was always going to come out of the crease with the momentum of the bowler delivering the ball. But Pollard, the former West Indies, alerted him perhaps to break his rhythm in the contest. And it worked as the batter eventually got dismissed four overs later for 59 runs in 42 balls.

Kieron Pollard gives Faf du Plessis a gentle reminder to stay in his crease! 😂 pic.twitter.com/VvQteBEeCC

— Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 12, 2025

Winning the toss, the New York captain, Nicholas Pooran decided to bowl first on a surface which helps the batting in the second innings under the lights. Apart from du Plessis, no one got the momentum in the batting order. At one point, they were 85/5 in the 13th over, before Akeal Hosein smashed a fine 55 runs in just 32 balls, besides Donovan Ferreira’s 32 unbeaten runs in 20 balls to take them to 166/5 in their 20 overs.

Mumbai was in the chase from the beginning. Monark Patel drilled 49 runs in 39 balls, while the match turning point was the undefeated 89-run stand between Pollard, who smashed 47 unbeaten runs in 22 balls, and the captain Pooran, who nailed 52* runs in just 36 balls. MI will now face the Washington Freedom in the final of the MLC 2025 on July 14.