Jason Holder discusses his excitement for Season 3 and the growing competitiveness of the DP World ILT20

West Indian all-rounder Jason Holder will play in the DP World International League T20 again on January 11, 2025, when the league returns for its third season. Holder will now represent the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, adding his experience to a new team after competing with the Dubai Capitals in the previous edition. Holder is especially thrilled about the growing role of UAE players as the league's prominence and level of competition continue to rise, pointing out that the effort is not only improving play but also giving local talent vital chances to flourish.

The DP World ILT20's fierce competition was hailed by the veteran of 261 T20 matches, including 63 T20Is, who also highlighted the league's distinctive structure. Specifically, the inclusion of two players from the United Arab Emirates and nine players from other countries. "It almost feels like an international game when you have nine international players [in a playing eleven," he remarked. The level of competition is really high, you know. It goes without saying that such things enhance the competition and the tournament itself. Bringing in the top players from abroad to compete in this tournament, fostering joy and competition, is something I'm really looking forward to seeing more of."

Holder also commended the UAE's talent pool and the DP World ILT20's contribution to providing cricket players in the area with opportunity. "Seeing local talent thrive is always encouraging. Many players from the United Arab Emirates are deserving of participating in this tournament as well as other international competitions. The quality here will also continue to develop as this tournament becomes bigger, making UAE cricket much more formidable. Thus, I believe the competition is well-managed, and I hope we can keep fostering everyone's growth.

The 33-year-old made his debut in the DP World ILT20's second edition. He amassed 121 runs at a strike rate of 159 in five innings during his tenure with the Dubai Capitals. In the same number of games, he also took nine wickets. "I really enjoyed playing last year, as it was my first time," he stated, looking back on the previous season. It's a competition that incorporates both seasoned players and a lot of local talent. It has been a very satisfying experience to see the supporters turn out in force to cheer us on, both here in Dubai [Holder said during a tour of Dubai], Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi. I'm excited for the upcoming edition, which I believe will be larger and better.

As the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders look to have a successful season, Jason Holder will join an already formidable squad that includes players like Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Michael Pepper, Charith Asalanka, and David Willey. Holder said, "I am very excited to be part of the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders for the upcoming season and to see the tournament grow is honestly a prosperous feeling," in reference to his excitement about playing for a new team and seeing its reach extend. The organizers must have been thrilled to see it take off, and with any luck, we can draw an increasing number of spectators and create an amazing environment.

Renowned for his flexibility, Holder also emphasized his love of bowling and batting. "I find it difficult to choose between bowling when I'm taking wickets and batting when I'm smashing the ball around the park," he said. However, I generally like competing in the competition. Both for the team and for myself, I'm looking forward to more and better things.