'Different people have stepped up': Jason Holder reveals secret behind West Indies' unbeaten run

Mumbai: One of the heartening features of West Indies' unbeaten run in the 2026 T20 World Cup, which has seen them win all their three league games so far to storm into the Super 8s, has been the fine form of their former captain Jason Holder. The 34-year-old all-rounder took three for 30 in the opener against Scotland at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, before chipping in with a vital 17-ball 33, which included four massive sixes against England at the Wankhede Stadium in his team's 30-run win over their traditional rivals.Holder was taken off the attack after going wicketless while conceding 34 in just two overs against England. However, on Sunday, at the same venue, the seasoned pacer rediscovered his mojo against Nepal, taking a wicket off his first and last balls to finish with four for 27, even though his final over went for 16.“Yeah, it was a bit up and down. But I will take it. Getting four wickets in a World Cup can be a bit special, and to be able to do it today was good,” Holder told reporters after the match.With seven wickets in three matches at 13.00, Holder is currently the highest wicket-taker for the West Indies.Sunday's win offered relief to the West Indies after they had stunningly lost a T20I series to the Associate nation 1-2 in September last year at Sharjah. “Nepal has obviously been a team that’s been very competitive, and they’ve beaten us in the recent past as well. We knew we had to come up really hard in this game and make sure we started really well,” Holder said.Holder asserted that being a captain or simply a player in the team didn't matter to him, as long as he was contributing to the team's success as a senior player, putting all his experience in internationals and franchise cricket to good use. "Look, my role in the teams I've played in has been very clear for me. I guess here in this team, we've got a lot of heavy power in terms of our batting. So my role with the bat is probably a little less demanding than the role with the ball. But having said that, for me, it's just playing the situation. Post-captaincy or captaincy, it doesn't make a difference to me. For me, it's about what I need to do in order for this team to be successful," the veteran all-rounder analysed.Asked about the lack of express fast bowlers coming out of the West Indies these days, Holder said that much of that could be put down to the slow pitches in the Caribbean at present. "Look, there's been a lot of debate as to why, over the years, we've had some very slow pitches. We don't quite get the quick pitches that we used to get on a consistent basis in the Caribbean. So, that may have a bit to do with it, but look, it is what it is in terms of what we've got. I think what is important for us is to use what we've got well, put some support behind them and ensure that we can develop them in a way that they can be world-class bowlers," he said.The seasoned fast bowler pointed out that pace alone wasn't the sole factor to guarantee success in international cricket, but “accuracy and skill” were. "You don't necessarily have to be ‘express’ to be successful at this level, but if you're very accurate and skilful, you can get some good success here at this level. So, it's important for the West Indies to continue to put some support behind our fast bowlers to ensure that they keep developing their skills."Holder said that a good team environment was one of the key reasons for the West Indies enjoying a fine run in the 2026 T20 World Cup. "In the dressing room, we've created an environment where everybody is a lot more comfortable, a lot more clear. We've been having a lot of in-depth conversations. And it's been good to see the maturity level of each individual putting their hands up," Holder explained."And so far, we've been doing a really good job. And the beauty about each game that we've won is that different people have stepped up and it hasn't been like one consistent person in every single game. The main thing for us is to stay focused and ensure that we continue with this momentum."