Holder Heroics Lift Patriots Out the Rut

Finally, a win for the boys in red. After a rough stretch in the CPL 2025 season, the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots stormed back to form last night thanks to an all-round masterclass from Jason Holder — who reminded everyone exactly why he’s one of the Caribbean’s most complete cricketers.

Batting first after being sent in by the Barbados Royals, the Patriots looked shaky early on. Evin Lewis, Rilee Rossouw, and Mohammad Rizwan all fell within the PowerPlay, leaving the innings wobbling. Andre Fletcher’s quick-fire 25 gave some spark, but when he went down in the ninth over, the Patriots were under pressure again.

Then came the partnership that flipped the script — Holder and Kyle Mayers grinding out a gritty 55-run stand that steadied the ship. Holder muscled a few into the stands, taking 15 off Kofi James in one over, while Mayers punished every loose delivery that came his way. Their stand gave the innings life, and the late fireworks from Abbas Afridi and Naseem Shah — who both launched sixes in the death overs — pushed the Patriots to a competitive 174 for 8.

When it was time to defend, Holder turned destroyer. He took control of the game with the ball, snatching four crucial wickets — including two in a single over — to crush any hopes Barbados had of sneaking back in. His double blow in the 17th over was the real dagger, leaving the Royals gasping at 146 for 8.

Kadeem Alleyne tried to pull off a late miracle with a blazing 42 off 28 balls, but there was no one to stand with him. Holder cleaned up the tail, sealing a much-needed 12-run win and ending the Patriots’ losing rut.

From despair to delight — the Patriots finally got their rhythm back, and at the center of it all was Holder: calm, clinical, and clutch when it mattered most.

Run Di Chat watching: the south rise again. Patriots still alive, and now the fire back in the fight.