LondonKieron Pollard will be the head coach of the men's team, while Lisa Keightley will oversee the women's team, according to MI London's announcement of their leadership group for the forthcoming Hundred season. Following the rebranding of Oval Invincibles, the appointments are made as the team gets ready for its first campaign under the MI London identity.
The franchise's relationship with the Mumbai Indians network is strengthened by Pollard's appointment. The 38-year-old, who has played 211 games for the Mumbai Indians and is still a batting coach for the team, has a long history with MI teams in various leagues. He has played for MI Cape Town in the SA20, MI New York in Major League Cricket, and MI Emirates in the ILT20, which he recently led to the championship.
English conditions are nothing new to Pollard. He played two seasons in the Hundred, representing Southern Brave in 2024 and London Spirit in 2022. He also made an appearance for Surrey in the Vitality Blast in 2022. His familiarity with the Kia Oval is viewed as a significant advantage as MI London attempts to maintain the men's team's previous level of success.
"I am honored to join MI London as Head Coach. I have personally witnessed the close fit between Surrey's cricket culture and the winning mentality of the Mumbai Indians, having played for Surrey and in The Hundred. This is a fantastic chance to assemble a solid team, establish a high-performance culture, and strive for long-term success in the upcoming seasons," Pollard stated.
Keightley's background in franchise cricketKeightley, who recently joined from Northern Superchargers, now known as Sunrisers Leeds, will lead the women's team. She has a wealth of coaching experience, having worked with the Mumbai Indians in the WPL, Sydney Thunder in the WBBL, and England Women from 2019 to 2022. She also led the Superchargers to the 2025 Women's Hundred title.
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"I'm thrilled to be a member of the 2026 MI London women's team. Keightley remarked, "The Kia Oval is a fantastic place to play and gives me a unique chance to combine Surrey's rich cricketing heritage with the global winning culture of the MI family."