The West Indies fast bowler finished the calendar year as the most prolific wicket-taker in T20 history, setting a new benchmark that underscores both endurance and elite consistency.
At 34, the Barbadian surpassed the long-standing mark of 96 wickets set by Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan in 2018, ending the year with an unprecedented 97 scalps across the format.
Numbers that tell the story
Holder’s record-setting campaign unfolded across 69 T20 matches, in which he averaged 21.42 while maintaining an economy rate of 8.30 runs per over. The milestone moment arrived in the ILT20 last Sunday, when his figures of two for 24 against the Gulf Giants pushed him beyond Rashid Khan’s total.
The achievement places Holder in rare company among modern seamers. Only a select few have managed to collect 75 or more T20 wickets in a single calendar year, including Naveen-ul-Haq (78), Andre Russell (76), and Andrew Tye (75).
A global journey in one season
Holder’s path to history was shaped by an extraordinary globe-trotting schedule. Over the course of the year, he represented six different teams: the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Islamabad United, Khulna Tigers, Los Angeles Knight Riders, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, and the West Indies. The diversity of conditions and competitions only amplified the significance of his feat.
While Holder’s bowling dominated headlines, his contributions with the bat were equally notable. The former West Indies captain produced the most productive batting year of his T20 career, scoring 846 runs at an average of 24.17 and an explosive strike rate of 159.92.
That output marked a clear evolution in his role as an all-rounder. Prior to 2025, Holder had never recorded a strike rate above 145 in any calendar year in which he batted more than twice, making this surge with the bat a defining subplot of his remarkable season.
A year that redefined his legacy
By the close of 2025, Holder had not only rewritten a major T20 record but also reshaped perceptions of his impact in the shortest format. Combining durability, adaptability, and late-career growth, he delivered a season that will stand as one of the most complete individual T20 campaigns in modern cricket history.
