Jason Holder, the renowned West Indies all-rounder, has been appointed as the new captain of the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders for the 2025-26 edition of the International League T20 (ILT20). The 33-year-old Barbadian takes over the reins from fellow West Indian Sunil Narine, who previously led the team. Holder joined the franchise earlier this year and quickly established himself as a key player with his exceptional all-round performances. Despite the team’s disappointing finish at the bottom of the points table in the 2025 season, Holder emerged as a standout performer, taking 17 wickets and scoring 126 runs at an impressive strike rate of 180. Holder, a former West Indies captain, will now lead a star-studded squad that includes marquee players such as Andre Russell, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, Sherfane Rutherford, and Sunil Narine. His extensive T20 experience and leadership skills are expected to bring a fresh dynamic to the team, which has struggled in recent seasons. Under Narine’s captaincy, the Knight Riders managed only three wins in ten matches during the 2025 season, finishing last in the six-team tournament. The team also faced similar challenges in the 2023 and 2024 editions, ending both campaigns at the bottom of the table. The Knight Riders will kick off their ILT20 2025-26 season against the Sharjah Warriorz on December 3 in Sharjah.