New South Wales (NSW) have shown interest in signing two Indian batsmen - Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik and big-hitting West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard for this summer's domestic Twenty20 cricket tournament.
The decision comes against the backdrop of NSW's success in the Champions League being held in India, where they have already earned a minimum of 500,000 dollars for reaching the semi-finals, and could take home as much as 2.5 million dollars for winning it.
While, Sharma and Karthik were in the club's list for their consistent performance at the Twenty20 level, Pollard has been chosen due to his astonishing performance against them in the Champions League.
Pollard has emerged as the star of the Champions League for his powerful hitting, as he blasted a joint-tournament high 11 sixes and registered a strike rate of 203.38, The Age reports.
During NSW's game against Trinidad and Tobago, Pollard had scored an unbeaten 54 off 18 balls, in which he blasted five fours and five sixes.
Cricket NSW CEO David Gilbert said that Pollard's swashbuckling style has made him an attraction and also revealed that NSW coach Matthew Mott had already informally approached him about turning out for the Blues.
"I know Matthew Mott caught up with him (Pollard) the other day over breakfast and said to him: 'Would you be interested if we progressed discussions?'' and he was very keen. But, it's very early days and he's one of three or four players that are in the mix," AAP quoted Gilbert, as saying.
"He's going to be in high demand, Pollard, because someone who can smash the ball like that is a freakish talent. Someone who can devastate a bowling attack like he can and also can bowl pretty good, medium pace, that's quite an irresistible prospect," he added.
