Nicholas Pooran
Player Information
Player Overview
Nicholas Pooran is a West Indies wicketkeeper-batter and one of the leading power hitters in modern franchise T20 cricket. Born on 2 October 1995, the left-handed batter has built his reputation through explosive middle-order batting, clean six-hitting and the ability to change a match within a short period. Pooran has been an important figure for MI Emirates and has also represented other teams within the MI family around the world. After retiring from international cricket in June 2025, his career has remained focused on franchise competitions, where his experience, wicketkeeping ability and destructive batting continue to make him a high-value T20 player.
Playing Style
Pooran is an aggressive left-handed batter whose greatest strength is his ability to generate boundary-hitting power without requiring a long period to settle at the crease. He is particularly valuable through the middle and death overs, where his range allows him to attack both pace and spin. His ability to clear the boundary consistently has made him one of the most sought-after players in franchise cricket. Pooran is also an experienced wicketkeeper and a capable outfielder, providing flexibility when teams decide how to use their keeping options. Leadership experience from international and franchise cricket adds another dimension to the qualities he brings to MI Emirates.
Which Team Does Nicholas Pooran Play for in ILT20?
Nicholas Pooran plays for MI Emirates in DP World ILT20 Season 5. He was one of four players secured by the franchise before the October 2026 player auction, joining Rashid Khan, Romario Shepherd and Sherfane Rutherford as MI Emirates’ pre-auction signings. This means Pooran was retained as part of the franchise’s core rather than purchased during the Season 5 auction. MI Emirates officially lists him as a Wicket-keeper batter wearing jersey number 29. His return continues a successful relationship with the franchise and gives MI Emirates an established match-winner who already understands the team’s environment and the demands of ILT20 cricket.
Career Background
Pooran emerged as a highly rated Caribbean prospect during his teenage years and represented West Indies at the 2014 ICC Under-19 World Cup before making his senior T20 international debut against Pakistan in Dubai in September 2016. He later became an important member of the West Indies white-ball teams and also served as captain. Pooran retired from international cricket in June 2025 after 167 appearances across ODIs and T20Is. He finished with 2,275 T20I runs from 106 matches, at the time making him West Indies’ most-capped T20I player and leading run-scorer in the format. His career has since continued through major franchise competitions around the world.
ILT20 Record
Pooran has been one of the central figures in MI Emirates’ ILT20 history and played a defining role in the franchise’s championship-winning Season 2 campaign in 2024. His attacking batting and leadership were particularly important during that title run, strengthening his status as one of the franchise’s core players. He subsequently continued with MI Emirates and remained an important part of the side in later campaigns, including as captain. The statistics previously displayed on this page were not ILT20 numbers: the figures of 106 matches, 2,275 runs and a highest score of 98 against Afghanistan belong to his West Indies T20I career. Those incorrectly labelled tables have therefore been removed.
ILT20 Season 5 Context
Pooran enters Season 5 as one of the players MI Emirates deliberately secured before the auction, underlining his importance to the franchise’s plans. MI Emirates announced him first among its four pre-auction signings in August 2026, keeping an established member of the Blue and Gold core alongside Rashid Khan, Romario Shepherd and Sherfane Rutherford. The completed squad also contains wicketkeeping options Jonny Bairstow and Kusal Perera, giving MI Emirates considerable flexibility in its batting and keeping combinations. For Pooran, Season 5 provides another opportunity to add to an already successful relationship with the franchise and pursue another ILT20 title after the championship triumph of 2024.
Playing Style at UAE Venues
Pooran has extensive experience of playing in the United Arab Emirates, stretching from his West Indies international career to multiple seasons of the ILT20 with MI Emirates. His senior T20 international debut itself came at Dubai International Stadium in 2016, while his later franchise career has given him repeated exposure to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. That experience is more meaningful than making general assumptions about how particular UAE surfaces will behave. Pooran’s ability to attack spin and pace, accelerate through the middle overs and clear large boundaries gives MI Emirates tactical flexibility, while his familiarity with the tournament and its venues reduces the adaptation normally required from a new overseas signing.