Kieron Pollard added another remarkable chapter to his T20 legacy on Sunday by surpassing Chris Gayle to become the leading scorer in the history of the format during Major League Cricket 2026.The landmark moment came when the former West Indies allrounder hit 81 during MI New York’s clash against Washington Liberty. Pollard eventually remained unbeaten on 100 from 56 deliveries, although his century came in a losing cause. The knock took his career T20 tally to 14,582 runs from 736 matches, scored at an average of 31.83 and a strike rate of 151.12.In doing so, the 39-year-old overtook fellow West Indian Chris Gayle, ending the ‘Universe Boss” 12-year stay at the top of the all-time T20 charts.For Pollard, the achievement carries extra significance because the vast majority of those runs came while batting in the middle and lower order rather than as a top-order batsman.“Getting past Chris Gayle, someone we’ve seen in the West Indies for a period of time, is special. He’s done great things in all formats of cricket, so again, sorry Universe Boss, but we’re both on top,” Pollard said after the match.“Having said that, batting in No. 6 or 7 is very difficult. Someone needs to do the dirty work, however, and while everyone rushes to bat at the top of the order, a cricket match involves 11 people, and everyone has a role to play. I think that my role over time was to finish the matches, and I embraced it.Pollard’s rise to the top of T20 cricket also serves as a reminder of a generation of West Indian cricketers who embraced franchise cricket long before it was widely accepted. Alongside players like Gayle and Dwayne BravoPollard has often faced criticism for prioritizing franchise leagues, with many believing it came at the expense of international commitments.In retrospect, however, Pollard does not regret the path he chose and believes that time has validated the decisions made by his generation.“Hell no, I’d be lying if I said that [if he ever imagined achieving the ‘most runs’ feat]. But what I’m proud of, individually and with all those other guys you mentioned like Chris, is that we took a leap of faith and we got ridiculed a lot for it. Now you are going to see guys at a young age, even retired from international cricket to play franchise cricket because again cricket is no longer just a sport; it’s a business,” he said.“One thing I have understood in the life of human beings is that when you do something different, change is something that we are not really used to. I am happy that I lived the day to see, and I hope that all those who have criticized us over the years can sit down and say: “Hello”. We do not need to apologize. Respect every format of the game, “he added everything that changes, like technology,” he added.
