West Indies all-rounders Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers have been announced as marquee signings for the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders ahead of the 2025 season of the International League T20 (ILT20), set to bowl off in January.

The franchise confirmed the signings on social media, igniting excitement among fans. Holder and Mayers, known for their explosive talent and match-winning abilities, are expected to bolster the Knight Riders’ campaign as they aim for glory in the six-team tournament.

Mayers expressed his enthusiasm about joining the Knight Riders via Instagram, stating, "I am very excited to be part of the Knight Riders family in this coming season of the ILT20." His powerful batting and impactful seam bowling have made him a sought-after player in T20 leagues worldwide.

Holder, a former West Indies captain, brings a wealth of experience and versatility to the team. Renowned for his ability to deliver in clutch situations with both bat and ball, his leadership qualities will also add immense value to the Knight Riders' dressing room.

The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, a franchise known for its association with the globally recognized Knight Riders brand, are aiming to improve on past performances and establish themselves as a dominant force in the ILT20. With the addition of Holder and Mayers, the team’s chances of success in the competitive league have significantly increased.

The ILT20, which continues to attract some of the world’s top cricketing talent, promises to deliver thrilling action when the 2025 season gets underway. Fans can expect Holder and Mayers to light up the tournament with their dynamic performances as they represent the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders on the big stage.

Shai Hope, Romario Shepherd and Roston Chase led a number of West Indians set for maiden stints in the 2025 edition of the International League T20 (ILT20).

Hope, currently leading the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League in the absence of regular captain Imran Tahir, has been signed by the Dubai Capitals where he will team up with fellow new signing Obed McCoy and Rovman Powell who was retained.

Shepherd, a teammate of Hope with the Amazon Warriors, will join the likes of Kieron Pollard, Akeal Hosein, Andre Fletcher, Dwayne Bravo and Nicholas Pooran with the MI Emirates.

Chase has been signed by the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, led by Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, and will be joined by fellow new signings Gudakesh Motie and Terrance Hinds.

Keemo Paul will also be a participant as he was signed by the Sharjah Warriors.

The 2025 ILT20 season is set to take place from January 11 to February 9 in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

Rising sensation Shamar Joseph has been ruled out of his International League Twenty20 (ILT20) stint with Dubai Capitals due to the toe injury he picked up during West Indies recent Test victory over Australia at the Gabba.

Though scans showed no fracture after he was clattered on the boot by a Mitchell Starc yorker, a gritty Joseph battled through pain on the fourth day to produce one of the greatest spells in Test history. The 24-year-old Guyanese claimed seven wickets for 68 runs to inspire West Indies to a famous eight-run win - their first victory in Australia since 1997.

Interestingly, Joseph was not expected to feature on the day, but with the help of team physio and painkillers, he defied the injury and bowled a remarkable spell that will forever be etched in the minds of cricket enthusiasts.

Following his heroics, Joseph was due to head straight to the ILT20 having signed with Capitals, the team of West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell, before the Australia tour, but will now return home to recover before travelling to the PSL where he was signed as a replacement by Peshawar Zalmi.

Still, with his stocks rapidly rising, Joseph is unlikely to be short of offers from T20 leagues around the world after the stunning start to his Test career where he claimed Steven Smith with his first delivery and claimed two five-wicket hauls.

Despite Andre Russell's scintillating 17-ball 46, the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders faced an unfortunate eight-wicket defeat in the International League T20 in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Russell's explosive performance saw him smashing six sixes, propelling the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders to a challenging total of 188-5 in their allotted 20 overs.

The powerful Jamaican all-rounder, known for his aggressive batting style, showcased his prowess and took ADKR to a competitive position after contributions from Matthew Pepper (38), Alishan Sharafu (37), and Sam Hain (40). However, the bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi emerged as a formidable obstacle, restricting the scoring with a solid 3-35 in his four-over spell.

Despite Russell's heroics with the bat, his bowling performance was in stark contrast. Conceding 33 runs in the three overs he bowled, Russell found himself unable to contain the MI Emirates' batting onslaught.

MI Emirates, with their eye on the chase, approached the target with determination and skill. Kusal Perera led the charge, racing to a blistering 54 from just 26 balls, while Nicholas Pooran added a quick-fire 33 from 19 balls. However, the standout performance came from Muhammad Waseem, whose remarkable knock of 89 from 62 balls propelled MI Emirates to a comprehensive victory.

The MI Emirates' batsmen displayed remarkable control and execution, ensuring that they reached the target with six balls to spare. The win also extended their lead atop the league table, moving to eight points.

They are four clear of Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants and ADKR who each have four points.

The Nicholas Pooran-captained MI Emirates on the back of a superb bowling spell from Akeal Hosein, registered their third win on the trot, as they slammed Sharjah Warriors by 106 runs in a lopsided International League Twenty20 (ILT20) encounter at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

After being sent to bat, MI Emirates led by top scores of 42 by Andre Fletcher and Kusal Perera respectively, and 37 from Pooran, posted 180-7 from their allotment, before Hosein bowled with skill and accuracy to grab 4-23 in restricting the Warriors to a paltry 74.

Scores: MI Emirates 180-7 (20 overs); Sharjah Warriors 74 all out (12.1 overs)

Hosein first accounted for fellow West Indian Johnson Charles (one), who for the first time since the start of the tournament, failed to get in on the runs. The Trinidad and Tobago left-arm spinner then snared another three wickets -Joe Denly (six), Basil Hameed (zero) and Daniel Sams (zero) -in the eighth over.

In fact, Hosein thought he had a fourth in the over and, by extension, the first hat-trick in ILT20 history when he had Englishman Chris Woakes adjudged leg-before-wicket. However, the decision was later overturned on review, as the ball pitched outside the leg stump.

New Zealander Martin Guptill (17), Sri Lanka's wicketkeeper/batsman Niroshan Dickwella (22) and England's Lewis Gregory (10), offered minimal resistance in the Warriors dismal innings.

Earlier, 'Spiceman' Fletcher and Sri Lankan Perera put together a 92 second-wicket stand that was the foundation of the MI Emirates innings. Fletcher slammed four fours and two sixes in his 31-ball 42, while Perera had three fours and three sixes in his 25-ball 42.

Pooran chipped in with a 37 off 29 balls, which includes a solitary four and two sixes, with Australian Tim David being the next best scorer with a 16-ball 20. 

Pakistani Muhammad Jawadullah was the pick of the Warriors bowling with 3-31 from his over overs.

With the win, MI Emirates remain atop the standing on six points, the Warriors are fifth on two points.

Nicholas Pooran produced another captain’s knock that spurred his MI Emirates team to a second-consecutive victory, as they hammered Andre Russell’s Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by nine wickets in International League Twenty20 (ILT20) action on Tuesday.

Chasing a meagre 96, Pooran laced an unbeaten 16-ball 39, including one four and five sixes, as MI Emirates comfortably go to their target in a mere 8.1 overs. The aggressive left-hand batsman, who scored a half-century in his team’s first win over the weekend, starred in an unbroken 54-run second wicket partnership with Pakistani Muhammad Waseem.

Waseem was also unbeaten on 26 off 20 balls, after he earlier partnered with Kusal Perera (22) in a 42-run opening stand that laid the platform for the successful chase.

Scores: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 95 all out (14.1 overs); MI Emirates 96-1 (8.1 overs)

Earlier, New Zealand seamer Trent Boult (3-14), UAE’s Muhammad Rohid (3-25) and West Indian spinner Akeal Hosein (2-21) ran amok through Abu Dhabi Knight Riders' innings in which Russell was one of only two batsmen to get into double figures.

The explosive Russell, marched to the middle in the seventh over with Abu Dhabi Knight Riders reeling at 22-5, and restored a bit of parity with a 25-ball 48, but the damage was already done. His counter-attacking innings included three fours and four sixes, with opener Alishan Sharafu (10) the other batsman in double figure.

With the win, MI Emirates assumed pole position on the standings with four points from three games, while Knight Riders are in fifth position on two points with a win and a loss.

West Indian batsman Johnson Charles played a starring role with 93 to lead the Sharjah Warriors to a five-wicket win over the Dubai Capitals in their International League T20 fixture at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday.

The Capitals made a respectable 170-7 from their 20 overs after being asked to bat first by the Warriors.

Englishman Sam Billings led the way for Dubai with 52 while Zimbabwean Sikandar Raza hit 48 against 3-28 from Australian Daniel Sams and a pair of wickets, each, for Chris Woakes (2-21) and Maheesh Theekshana (2-32).

The Warriors then reached 171-5 with seven balls to spare to seal the win.

Charles needed only 51 balls to make 93, hitting eight fours and three sixes in the process.

He was supported by some good late cameos by Basil Hameed (24*) and Daniel Sams (16*).

Dushmantha Chameera led the way with the ball for the Capitals with 4-28 from his four overs.

Late innings fireworks by Nicholas Pooran and Tim David helped the MI Emirates convert a lukewarm start into a comfortable 18-run victory against reigning champions Gulf Giants in the fourth match of the ongoing DP World ILT20 here at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Moving at a run-a-ball for his first 17 deliveries, Nicholas Pooran smashed three fours and four sixes to score 51 runs in 18 deliveries while Tim David hammered 41 runs in the death overs to set the Gulf Giants a formidable target of 180 runs to win.

In response, the Gulf Giants’ run chase began with a promising start anchored by James Vince’s half century.

Jamie Overton’s 41 off 18 balls studded with five sixes gave his team a much-needed injection, however a clinical performance by the MI Emirates’ bowling unit led by Fazalhaq Farooqi, restricted the Giants to 161 for 9. Farooqi was the pick of the bowling with figures of 4 for 25.

Elated by his team's victory the winning captain, Nicholas Pooran said, “We were ready with the result, and happy that the guys responded to the challenge. With wickets in hand, you can always go big in the last 5-6 overs.”

Meanwhile Player of the Match, Tim David expressed his delight in contributing to the team’s victory, he said, “It is nice to make any contribution for the side. The boys laid the platform, and I just took it on. It's about finding a method that is going to work for you in that game, take that risk and see what happens.”

Skipper of the Gulf Giants, James Vince, conceded that his side could have come up with a better effort but highlighted his enthusiasm for the upcoming games.

“We never quite got ahead in the game, their finish with the bat was superb. I think we got bogged down before I got out and that was a key moment in the game. We will have a quick debrief ahead of the next game and see where we can improve” he lamented.

Pooran's explosive fifty and Tim David's power-hitting propel MI Emirates

Electing to bowl first, the Gulf Giants enjoyed an early breakthrough when Dominic Drakes dismissed Will Smeed for just one run in the second over. Despite a challenging start against the swing and bounce, Muhammad Waseem and Andre Fletcher managed to push the MI Emirates to 41 for 1 by the end of the powerplay, with Waseem hitting two consecutive sixes. However, Waseem fell to Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the following over for only 19 runs.

Nicholas Pooran joined Andre Fletcher in a labored partnership, adding 22 runs in the middle overs. Fletcher departed for 28 runs, and then Ambati Rayudu and Pooran launched a fierce assault on the Giants' bowling, forging a 69-run partnership in just 32 deliveries. Pooran reached his half-century in 27 balls, while Rayudu contributed a quick 25 runs. However, Chris Jordan's pivotal 18th over saw the dismissal of both Pooran and Rayudu, halting the attack.

In the death overs, Tim David played a blitzkrieg of two fours and fives sixes to score 41 runs in 15 balls and catapult the MI Emirates to a formidable total of 179 for five in 20 overs.

James Vince and James Overton exploits diminished by Fazalhaq Farooqi

Tasked with chasing at nine runs per over, the Gulf Giants had an explosive start spearheaded by captain James Vince, who struck boundaries at will. At the end of five overs, the Giants were powering through with 48 runs for no loss. In the final over of the powerplay, Fazalhaq Farooqi’s potent bowling earned him the wickets of Jamie Smith and Jordan Cox in consecutive deliveries. UAE’s Usman Khan joined James Vince with the score reading 48 for two.

At the halfway mark of the innings, Usman Khan and James Vince had put on 33 runs and the Giants were falling behind the required run rate, needing 99 runs in ten overs. In a bid to accelerate, Usman Khan was dismissed by Waqar Salamkheil for 22 runs. Meanwhile, James Vince brought up his half century in only 38 balls, comprising seven fours and a six. Soon after, the Gulf Giant’s captain was sent back to the dressing room by Dwayne Bravo in the 14th over to bring Shimron Hetmyer to the crease.

Between the 12th and 15th over, the Gulf Giants only managed to gather 12 runs, leaving them with a steep equation of 71 runs needed in the final five overs. In the 17th over, James Overton reinvigorated the run chase with three consecutive sixes in Waqar Salamkheil ‘s over, followed by two sixes off Trent Boult in the next over. Once Overton was dismissed by Farooqi, the defending champs lacked the firepower to push their total beyond 161. 

Brief Scores

MI Emirates 179 for 5 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 51, Tim David 41, Andre Fletcher 28; Chris Jordan 2 for 48, Mujeeb ur Rehman 1 for 23) Gulf Giants 161 for 9 in 20 overs (James Vince 52, James Overton 41, Usman Khan 22; Fazalhaq Farooqi 4 for 25, Trent Boult 2 for 39)

Player of the Match: Tim David of MI Emirates       

Former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard will lead MI Cape Town's hunt for glory in the second edition of South Africa's Premier Twenty20 League, SA20, while in his absence from the International League (ILT20), compatriot Nicholas Pooran will lead MI Emirates.

Pollard's appointment at MI Cape Town comes as Rashid Khan, who led the team last season, has been ruled out of the upcoming season, as he continues to recover from a back surgery. The ace leg spinner was named in the Afghanistan squad on January 6 for their three-match T20I series in India, but is unlikely to play, according to a statement from his cricket board (ACB). Khan also missed Afghanistan's most recent T20I series in the UAE and the Big Bash League (BBL).

As such, the powerfully built Pollard has not only been drafted to make his debut in the SA20 but will lead from the front given his experience as a five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) Champion, a two-time Champions League (CLT20) Champion, and a Major League (MLC) Champion, across the Mumbai Indians franchises.

The explosive middle-order batsman was also retained by MI Emirates for the upcoming ILT20 campaign, but with its dates clashing with the SA20's, Pooran has been given the reins of MI Emirates captaincy. It remains to be seen whether Pollard will join MI Emirates for the last leg of the ILT20 in the UAE.

Pollard was recently in action for New York Strikers in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, where his side lost the final to Deccan Gladiators.

Pooran, who also plays with Pollard at Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), recently declined his West Indies central contract to become a free agent.

The left-hand batsman, who is also a former West Indies white-ball captain, Pooran was unveiled as Durban's Super Giants' wildcard pick in September 2023, and is likely to play three matches in the SA20 before linking up with MI Emirates for the second season of the ILT20.

The one-month SA20 will run from January 10 to February 10, and the ILT20 from January 19 to February 17. The two leagues will also clash with New Zealand's Super Smash and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

 Sunil Narine is retiring from international cricket. The Trinidadian mystery spinner announced an end to his eight-year international career on Instagram on Sunday.

"I appreciate it has been over four years since I last played for West Indies but today I am announcing my retirement from international cricket," said the 35-year-old Narine who last played for the West Indies in 2019.

“Publicly I am a man of few words but privately there are a few people who have given me unwavering support throughout my career and helped me realize my dream of representing West Indies and to you I express my deepest gratitude."

Notwithstanding the announcement, Narine said he will end his international career by winning the ongoing Super50 league for the Trinbago Red Force. "I love representing Trinidad & Tobago, the country of my birth, and to add another title by winning the Super50 Cup will be the perfect send-off," he said.

Narine played 122 international matches, which included six Tests, 65 ODIs and 51 T20Is and was a member of the West Indies team that won the T20 World Cup in 2012. He has played for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League since 2012.

He will continue to play for KKR in the IPL, Abu Dhabi in the International League T20, Trinbago in the Caribbean Premier League and Los Angeles in Major League Cricket. He is also part of the Hundred men's competition with Oval Invincibles and also plays in the Big Bash League, Pakistan Super League and Bangladesh Premier League.

Player of the match Carlos Brathwaite took three wickets and effected a runout while Shimron Hetmyer scored a quick-fire unbeaten 25 to help lead Gulf Giants to a seven-wicket victory over Desert Vipers and the 2023 ILT20 final in Dubai on Sunday.

The heroic Barbadian, whose four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes won the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup for the West Indies, took 3-19 and ran out opener Rohan Mustafa for just six to restrict Desert Vipers to 146-8 from their 20 overs.

He removed the dangerous Alex Hales for one, took the catch to dismiss Adam Lyth for 13, dismissed Sam Billings for 31, breaking the 72-run fifth wicket partnership with Wanindu Hasaranga, whose 55 from 27 balls propped up Desert Vipers, before returning to take the wicket of Tom Curran in the 19^th over.

Qias Ahmad supported Brathwaite with the wickets of Hasaranga and Luke Wood for three to finish with figures of 2-29. Chris Jordan caught and bowled the dangerous Colin Munro for just six.

Chasing 147 for victory, Gulf Giants’s Chris Lyn scored an unbeaten 72 from 50 balls and 30 from Gerhard Erasmus before Hetmyer arrived with the final dagger, smashing 25 not out from 13 balls with five fours to propel Gulf Giants to the title with eight balls to spare.

Kieron Pollard’s half-century was not sufficient to prevent the MI Emirates from going down to a four-wicket loss to Gulf Giants in Qualifier 2 in Sharjah on Friday.

With the win Gulf Giants booked a place in Sunday’s 2023 ILT20 final where they will face Desert Vipers.

Coming off their emphatic eight-wicket victory over Dubai Capitals on Thursday MI Emirates looked a jaded team, scoring 167-5 from their 20 overs.

Pollard scored an unbeaten 57 from 35 balls while Nicholas Pooran contributed with 29 and opener Mohammad Waseem, 31.

Chris Jordan took 2-25 and David Wiese 2-31.

In reply, James Vince played a gem of an innings, scoring unbeaten 83 including the winning runs, a four off Fazalhaq Farooqi as Gulf Giants scored 168-6 from 18.1 overs.

Farooqi took 2-27 and Rashid Khan, 2-40 in the losing cause. Dwayne Bravo took 1-27.

Half-centuries from Andre Fletcher and Nicholas Pooran spurred MI Emirates to a convincing eight-wicket win over the Dubai Capitals at Sharjah and a place in Qualifier 2 to face Gulf Giants on Friday.

Sherfane Rutherford’s heroics played a significant role in helping the Desert Vipers make their first-ever appearance in an ILT20 final on Wednesday.

After suffering a painful hamstring injury that forced him to leave the field, the Guyanese batsman returned to rescue his team smashing 37 off 19 deliveries including three consecutive sixes off David Wiese.

His heroics would help propel Desert Vipers to 178-7, which proved to be enough as the Vipers dismissed Gulf Giants for 159 in 19.4 overs.

During an interview on the Vipers Voices Podcast afterwards, Rutherford said he knew it was going to be his last game but he wanted to make an impact on the game and help his team.

“It was my idea (to go back out and bat). When I went in (after being injured), I asked my physio if I could go back and bat. He said no and that it was better I just relax,” he explained.

“I told him I could do it, and then he said he was going to discuss it with the coach. At that time Tom Moody was passing by and he said, ‘If he (Rutherford) wants to bat, let us trust him.’ I also knew it was going to be my last game (in the tournament) and I wanted to give it my all, and hopefully I could make an impact for the team.”

After arriving at the crease, he revealed his intentions to Tom Curran, his partner with whom he put on 52 runs which ultimately changed the direction of the match.

 “I knew I could not run, so I said (to Tom Curran) that I was going to try and get boundaries. So, I think that’s where we won the game,” Rutherford said.

The Desert Vipers are through to the first-ever final of the DP World ILT20 after a sensational 19-run win over the Gulf Giants at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday. This was the Vipers’ first victory over the Giants in the tournament, having lost their two previous contests. 

Batting first Desert Vipers made 178-7 from their 20 overs before restricting the Gulf Giants to 159 all out off 19.4 overs.

Put into bat, the Vipers had a shaky start, losing their first three wickets for just 33 runs but they recovered to post a winning score in large part due to the heroics of Sherfane Rutherford, who returned to the field despite a painful hamstring injury to score 37 off 19 deliveries including three consecutive sixes off David Wiese.

Tom Curran shared a 52-run partnership with Rutherford, contributing a valuable 29 runs, and he took four wickets as well, earning him the Player of the Match award.

“Rutherford is in a bit of pain with his injury. Not sure how long he will be out for with his injury. I didn’t expect him to come back on the field like he did to be honest. But he showed great courage, and I think it is the environment we have created within the Desert Vipers, that (makes) people want to go out and perform for the team,” said team captain Colin Munro.

“The courage he showed to come out and bat on one leg was the turning point of the game. He hit the ball beautifully and changed the whole momentum of the game and put us in the driver’s seat. That was a great knock from him.”

 Munro also praised Curran and Wanindu Hasaranga for the impact they had on the match.

 “I think Tom Curran is a genuine all-rounder now. He used to be a bowler who could also bat at around number eight, but since coming into the Vipers he has been given the chance to go in at six and seven and show what he can do,” Munro said.

 “Hasaranga is a world class player, and he is up (the top) in the ICC T20 rankings, and he was in the (ICC T20 Men’s) Team of the Year. He was outstanding and to get those three wickets, (they) really put inroads in (the Gulf Giants batting line-up).

“They (Gulf Giants) got off to a really good start in the power play through James Vince and Chris Lynn.  I think the way Hasaranga came out and got a wicket in his first over put them under pressure, while also getting the run rate going up. This allowed our bowlers to settle in and use what the pitch had to offer.

 “We came here to qualify, number one, and once we got into the finals, it was about putting our best foot forward to make it to the final. Now we are there, and our next goal is to lift that trophy.”

Naturally, Head Coach James Foster was delighted with the performance and the outcome.

 “I am really chuffed for the whole team. I think they fought really hard throughout this campaign. I thought we had to show a lot of fight today, and a lot of character,” he said while speaking on the Vipers Voices podcast.

“After a positive start, we were three down for not too many (runs), and I thought Ronnie (Rohan Mustafa) got us off to a flyer but the brakes were put on us, and then we had to absorb a lot of pressure.

 “The partnership between Sam Billings and Wanindu Hasaranga was huge in the context of the game. They had to rebuild, but also had to show intent and keep that scoreboard ticking.”

He, too, was full of praise for Rutherford.

 “When Rutherford came out and then pulled up with that hamstring injury, you thought the worst. But the fact that he was happy to go back out there (was great for the team). It was his idea and his thought, and he was really keen,” he said.

“So at the drop of the next wicket he went out there and that was some unbelievable ball-striking, bearing in mind he was on one leg. To hit the ball in the areas that he did, with the power that he possesses, which we have seen throughout this campaign, came to fruition tonight.

 “What a platform the ILT20 is to showcase what Rutherford can do. I am really pleased for him, he is such a top man, such a nice guy and so humble. In the same breath (I am) devastated for him, about picking up an injury.”