Ahead of the new season of the IL T20, set to begin in December, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders have made a major change. The team has decided to remove Sunil Narine from captaincy and appoint West Indies star cricketer Jason Holder as the new captain. The franchise confirmed the decision in a statement on Sunday (November 2).
Holder had delivered an impressive performance for Knight Riders in the last season. Excelling with both bat and ball, he took 17 wickets in 10 innings and scored 180 runs at a strike rate of 126. This season, in addition to his on-field performance, he will also take on the responsibility of leading the team.
On the other hand, under Narine’s leadership, Knight Riders failed to meet expectations in previous seasons. In the most recent season, they won only 3 out of 10 matches and lost 7, finishing at the bottom of the points table. Similar struggles were seen in the 2023 and 2024 seasons as well. After this disappointing streak, the franchise decided to make a change in leadership.
Under Holder’s captaincy, Knight Riders will take the field with a strong squad, including star players like Andre Russell, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, and Sherfane Rutherford. The team’s campaign under their new captain will begin on December 3, with their first match against Sharjah Warriors.