Kane Williamson ends New Zealand international career
The former New Zealand captain retires after 16 years, 19,346 international runs and a World Test Championship title.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
Kane Williamson has retired from international cricket, ending a 16-year New Zealand career that included a World Test Championship title and the country’s all-time international runs record, Reuters reported. The decision also rules the 35-year-old batter out of the ongoing Test series against England, according to Reuters.
Williamson announced the decision in a statement on Friday, Reuters reported. He said he still valued the demands of international cricket but believed it was the right time to leave the New Zealand team.
“I’ve always felt a strong drive and hunger for international cricket, and I take pride in knowing I’ve given it my all in every match I’ve played for New Zealand,” Williamson said in the statement cited by Reuters. He added that carrying on without that level of commitment would not be right and said he was fortunate to leave “on my own terms.”
Reuters reported that Williamson’s Test career began against India in Ahmedabad in November 2010. He went on to play 110 Tests, making 9,515 runs at an average of 54.06.
Across formats, Reuters reported, Williamson scored 19,346 international runs for New Zealand. That total includes 48 centuries and six double-centuries, placing him at the top of New Zealand’s international run-scoring list.
Captaincy and major titles
Williamson captained New Zealand in all formats from 2016 to 2024, Reuters reported. His most notable success came in 2021, when New Zealand defeated India in the final of the first World Test Championship.
In Test cricket, Reuters reported, Williamson led New Zealand in 40 matches. He won 22 of those Tests and made 11 centuries while captain before giving up the Test leadership in 2022.
Williamson said in his statement, as reported by Reuters, that he leaves with confidence in the New Zealand squad. He pointed to the team’s talent and its desire to achieve more in international cricket.
A long list of honours
Reuters reported that Williamson’s individual awards include the ICC Cricketer of the Year honour for 2015 and the ICC Test player award for 2019. He also won the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal four times, which Reuters described as a record.
His retirement closes one of New Zealand cricket’s most productive international careers, according to the figures reported by Reuters. Williamson leaves after more than a decade and a half at the top level, with his record tied to both heavy run-scoring and one of New Zealand’s defining team achievements.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.