Holder Stars as Patriots Snap Losing Streak with Win Over Royals

Jason Holder delivered a match-winning all-round performance to guide St Kitts and Nevis Patriots to a 12-run victory over Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 clash at North Sound on Thursday night. The win ended a three-match losing streak for the Patriots and lifted them to second place on the points table, while the Royals remain winless after two games.

After being asked to bat first, the Patriots faced early trouble, losing Evin Lewis, Rilee Rossouw, and debutant Mohammad Rizwan inside the powerplay with only 45 runs on the board. Left-arm seamer Ramon Simmonds inflicted early damage, taking 3 for 26, while Jomel Warrican accounted for Rizwan.

Andre Fletcher provided a brief resistance with a 16-ball 25 but fell soon after the powerplay to Daniel Sams. The innings was stabilized by a crucial 49-run partnership between Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder. Mayers top-scored with 42 off 26 balls, while Holder struck a brisk 21-ball 38 to push the Patriots toward a competitive total. Late contributions from Abbas Afridi (16 off 10) and Naseem Shah (19* off 11) helped the team finish on 174 for 8.

In response, the Royals' top order showed some promise but failed to accelerate. Brandon King (22), Quinton de Kock (15), and Kadeem Alleyne (42 off 28) got starts, but none converted them into a match-defining innings. Rovman Powell chipped in with a quick 21, but wickets fell too frequently for the Royals to maintain momentum.

Jason Holder returned with the ball to dismantle the Royals’ chase, picking up 4 for 14 in 3.2 overs. He was well-supported by Naseem Shah (2 for 32) and legspinner Navin Bidaisee (2 for 33), as the Royals were bowled out for 162 with 10 balls remaining.

With the win, the Patriots now have two victories from five games, trailing only the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons. The Royals, meanwhile, find themselves rooted at the bottom of the table, still in search of their first win of the season.

Brief Scores:
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 174/8 (Mayers 42, Holder 38, Simmonds 3-26, Sams 2-24)
Barbados Royals 162 all out (Alleyne 42, Holder 4-14, Naseem 2-32, Bidaisee 2-33)
Patriots won by 12 runs