New Delhi: New Zealand’s legendary batsman Kane Williamson on Friday announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. With this, his illustrious international career of more than 16 years came to an end. The 35-year-old batsman is counted among the most successful and respected players in New Zealand cricket history. During his career, he scored more than 19 thousand runs in all formats and played many memorable innings.
Williamson scored six double centuries
Williamson scored 48 international centuries and six double centuries in his career. His batting style, calm nature and leadership abilities gave him a distinct identity in world cricket. He was the main pillar of New Zealand’s batting for a long time and continued to carry the responsibility of handling the team in difficult situations.
His biggest achievement as captain came in 2021, when he led New Zealand to the World Test Championship title for the first time. This is considered one of the most significant successes at the ICC level in the country’s cricket history. Earlier in the 2019 ODI World Cup also, New Zealand had come very close to winning the title under his captaincy. However, in the final match against England, the team had to face defeat on the basis of boundary rules after the super over. Williamson was chosen the best player in that tournament, but he could not get the World Cup trophy.
After this, he also took New Zealand to the final in the 2021 T20 World Cup, but there Australia defeated his team. Despite this, his captaincy and performance received a lot of respect in the cricket world.
What did Williamson say?
Announcing his retirement, Williamson said that he had been considering this decision for a long time and now he felt that this was the right time. He said that wearing the New Zealand jersey, he tried to give his best in every match and with this satisfaction he is saying goodbye to international cricket.
Expressing confidence in the future New Zealand team, he said that there is no dearth of talent in the current team and this team can achieve great success in the coming years. New Zealand head coach Rob Walter described Williamson as a great ambassador of the game and said that he always put the team above individual achievements. According to him, Kane’s legacy will not be limited to just statistics, but his impact on team culture and values will be felt for generations to come.
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