Holder overtakes Rashid Khan to claim most T20 wickets in a calendar year

West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder capped a remarkable 2025 by becoming the most prolific wicket-taker in T20 cricket in a single calendar year, breaking a long-standing record held by Afghanistan's spin king Rashid Khan.

The 34-year-old reached the milestone during the ILT20 in Dubai on Sunday, returning figures of 2 for 24 for the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders against the Gulf Giants. Those wickets took Holder's tally to 97 scalps in 69 matches this year at an economy rate of 8.31, surpassing Rashid's record of 96 wickets set in 2018.

Holder, who had begun the match with one scalp less than Rashid, led from the front as captain, guiding the Knight Riders to a 32-run victory that lifted them above the Giants into fourth place on the points table.

The fast-bowling all-rounder's wickets in 2025 have come across five different franchise teams in as many T20 leagues worldwide, in addition to his contributions for the West Indies national side.

His breakdown for the year reads as follows:

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ILT20): 29 wickets in 18 matches

Islamabad United (Pakistan Super League): 15 wickets in 8 matches

Khulna Tigers (Bangladesh Premier League): 0 wickets in 2 matches

Los Angeles (Major League Cricket): 9 wickets in 9 matches

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots (Caribbean Premier League): 13 wickets in 10 matches

West Indies: 31 wickets in 22 matches

Holder has refined his craft in recent seasons, carving out a specialised role as a highly effective death-overs enforcer. His consistency in pressure situations has seen him dismiss batters more frequently than ever before.

The 97 wickets he has taken this year represent a significant leap from his previous best return in 2022, when he collected 59 wickets in 43 matches -- a 64.4 percent increase. Notably, Holder has taken 45 wickets of those wickets at the death in 2025, more than any other player.

Only Afghanistan left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad has come close to matching Holder's output this year, finishing with 85 wickets from 64 matches.

Holder's value is further enhanced by his batting ability, making him a sought-after commodity across franchise leagues. That demand was evident in the Indian Premier League auction, where Gujarat Titans secured his services for INR 7 crore following a bidding war with Chennai Super Kings, despite his base price being set at INR 2 crore.