Kieron Pollard will join Northamptonshire for the middle stages of the 2020 Vitality Blast.

Allrounder Pollard, who was named West Indies white-ball captain in September, has played 499 T20s, more than any other player.

Pollard will join the squad for eight games, beginning with the Steelbacks’ first home fixture on June 5 against Durham, subject to approval from his home board. He will then lead West Indies in their bid to defend the World T20 title in October.

“Now, visa criteria permitting, I see this as a wonderful opportunity to be back in England again playing in the action-packed Vitality Blast tournament,” Pollard said. “I want to thank Northants for welcoming me to their group of exciting players. I know they have some amazing fans and I look forward to entertaining them and bringing more success to the club.

“Of course as captain of the West Indies team and defending champions I have one eye on the ICC T20 World Cup later this year in Australia, but I can assure you my focus will be 100 percent on winning games for Northants when I arrive in June.”

Pollard is poised to become the second player behind Gayle to score 10,000 T20 runs with 9,966 at an average of 30.85 and with a strike rate of 150.40. With a highest score of 104 and 49 half-centuries, Pollard adds genuine firepower to the Steelbacks’ middle order.

Steelbacks captain Josh Cobb was looking forward to welcoming Pollard to The County Ground.

“His stats are unbelievable,” Cobb said. “We’ve actually won a trophy together before at the Dhaka Gladiators, though I’m not sure he’ll remember that, so hopefully we can get another one together this year in the Blast.” Cobb said.

The Steelbacks are Pollard’s 30th professional club and his first return to English domestic cricket since 2010, when he helped Somerset reach the T20 final.