Melbourne Renegades farewell cult hero Mohammad Nabi, welcome calypso king Kieron Pollard

MOHAMMAD Nabi, the 33-year-old Afghanistan all-rounder, arrived at the Renegades as an unknown. He leaves a fan-favourite and a hard act to follow for an incoming star.

Mohammad Nabi celebrates another Big Bash wicket.

KIERON Pollard has big shoes to fill.

The six-machine from the Caribbean joins the Melbourne Renegades next week as the international replacement for Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi.

The Nabi-Pollard signatures were hastily announced last month as dual cover for spinner Sunil Narine, who withdrew at the last minute citing personal reasons.

Mohammad Nabi celebrates another Big Bash wicket.

The plan was for Nabi to spin his way through the first seven games before Pollard would arrive to swing the Renegades into the semi-finals.

Pollard promised fireworks – last month he made 40 (12) with six sixes – and his firepower was expected to provide timely cover for captain Aaron Finch’s likely departure.

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Nabi, 33, arrived as the unknown, but with the strong endorsement of IPL teammate David Warner.

“I know nothing about him,” Gades keeper Tim Ludeman admitted.

“I’ll have to do some YouTube research to find out.”

He returns to Afghanistan duties as the biggest star from the Renegades’ 4-3 start to the season.

On Friday, Nabi claimed 2/15, removing Ben Dunk for a golden duck in the game’s first over.

Nabi’s two power-play overs cost just 1/6 and the Stars then put on 0/98 in the next nine overs. without him in the attack.

None of Brad Hogg, Jack Wildermuht, Dwayne Bravo or Kane Richardson had the answer to the clean hitting of Kevin Pietersen and smart understudy Pete Handscomb.

Kieron Pollard will swap blue for red.

The green pair was going ballistic and so Nabi was brought back on.

His first ball undid Handscomb with that wicket and then a smattering of singles and dots ripping the handbrake on the Stars’ powerful innings.

Nabi departs the Renegades with an elite economy rate of six. Finch, who signed Nabi purely based on his statistics, often noted how “cagey” he was – “he thinks like a batter”.

Nabi dropped Glenn Maxwell on seven runs last night, but he also put Maxwell over the rope with the bat last week during a match-winning 52 (30).

“He’s been wonderful with the ball,” Finch said.

“The way he’s been bowling in the power-play has been exceptional.

“He’s experienced, he’s played against some great opposition on some small Asian grounds, so he knows how to defend himself very well.

“He shares his tricks and he’s a lovely guy. He’ll be tough to replace.”

Nabi joins Finch and Cameron White on the departures list from the first half of the season.

Pollard helps replenish the power stocks, but it is the Nabi clamps that the red team will sorely miss.