(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Kane Williamson Retires from International Cricket After 16-Year Career
New Zealand cricket great Kane Williamson has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a remarkable career that spanned 16 years.
The 35-year-old confirmed his decision during New Zealand’s ongoing Test series against England. As a result, he will not take part in the remaining two matches of the series following the team’s opening Test at Lord’s.
Williamson had stepped away from a central contract in 2024 but remained available for selected international fixtures while also participating in franchise cricket.
In his retirement statement, Williamson said the decision had been under consideration for some time. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent New Zealand and said he wanted to step aside after giving his best to the team throughout his career.
The veteran batter retires as New Zealand’s leading run-scorer in Test cricket, having accumulated 9,515 runs in 110 matches at an average of 54.06.
One of the highlights of his career came in 2021 when he captained New Zealand to victory in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship final against India.
Across limited-overs formats, Williamson scored 7,256 runs in 175 One-Day Internationals and 2,575 runs in 93 T20 Internationals, establishing himself as one of New Zealand’s most successful batters.
As captain, he led New Zealand in 40 Test matches, 91 ODIs, and 75 T20Is. During his tenure, the team won the World Test Championship and reached the finals of both the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup.
New Zealand head coach Rob Walter praised Williamson’s contribution to the game, highlighting his leadership, professionalism, and lasting impact on the national team.
Williamson had already begun exploring opportunities beyond international cricket and took on a strategic advisory role with an Indian Premier League franchise last year. Following his earlier retirement from T20 internationals, he has now concluded his full international playing career.
