Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has announced his retirement from international cricket. This marks the end of his illustrious 16-year career. Williamson, New Zealand's highest run-scorer across all formats with 19,346 runs, led the team from 2016 to 2024. Under his captaincy, New Zealand reached two ICC World Cup finals and won the ICC World Test Championship in 2021. He had previously retired from T20Is in November.
Williamson expressed his feelings about the decision, stating, 'I have been thinking about retirement for some time. It has become clear in recent days that this is the right time. I have always felt a strong passion and hunger for international cricket. I am proud to have given my all in every match I played for New Zealand. Playing with less passion would not have been right. I feel fortunate to have been able to bid farewell on my own terms.'
Williamson was named ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2015 and ICC Test Cricketer of the Year in 2019. He also won the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal a record four times. His sudden retirement means he will miss the remainder of the ongoing Test series against England. A replacement for him has not yet been announced.
