One of New Zealand’s most successful players, Kane Williamson, has retired from international cricket across all formats. His retirement marks the end of a golden era in cricket. He played international cricket for 16 years and also served as captain of the New Zealand team for a significant period.
Kane Williamson was known for his calm and composed nature, which was widely discussed in the cricketing world.
Kane Williamson played for New Zealand for 16 years. His international career spanned from 2010 to 2026, during which he played a total of 378 matches across all formats (Test, ODI, and T20I).
His last international match was played in June 2026 against England at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
In his career, he scored a total of 19,346 runs, which is the highest by any player in New Zealand cricket history.
He scored the most centuries in Test cricket, with a total of 33 hundreds, including 6 double centuries.
In Test cricket, he scored a total of 33 centuries, out of which 25 were scored on home soil in New Zealand.
Williamson has often been ranked as the No. 1 ICC Test batsman during his career.
Whenever Kane Williamson is mentioned, the historic victory of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021 will always be remembered, as he played patient innings of 49 and 52* to help his team secure the win.
After that, in the 2019 ODI World Cup, he delivered a brilliant performance, scoring 578 runs at an average of 82.57. He was named the “Player of the Tournament.” Although New Zealand lost to England in the final, his calm smile and grace after the defeat won hearts all over the world.
He knew how to perform in big matches. One such example was the 2021 T20 World Cup final in Dubai against Australia, where he played a brilliant innings of 85 runs off 48 balls. However, despite his efforts, he could not lead his team to victory, but it is still regarded as one of the finest captain’s innings in T20 World Cup history.
Kane Williamson played 110 Test matches and batted in 193 innings. In Tests, he scored a total of 9,515 runs with an average of 54.06, including 33 centuries and 38 half-centuries, with a highest score of 251.
He played 175 ODI matches and batted in 164 innings. In ODIs, he scored a total of 7,256 runs with an average of 48.69, including 15 centuries and 47 half-centuries, with a highest score of 148.
He played 93 T20I matches and batted in 90 innings. In T20Is, he scored a total of 2,575 runs with an average of 33.40, including 18 half-centuries, with a highest score of 95.
Overall, across all formats, he played 378 matches and batted in 447 innings. He scored a total of 19,346 runs with an average of 47.92, including 48 centuries and 103 half-centuries, with a highest score of 251.
After Kane Williamson’s retirement, Virat Kohli also posted on X and said.....
“From an opponent to a friend over the years. It’s been a pleasure watching you bat and compete against you over so many years but more than that I value our friendship and shared perspectives on the game and beyond. I continue to cherish every time we speak or meet. Wishing you nothing but the best always brother. You’ve done your bit, you deserve to enjoy all of it now and put your feet up. Well done mate, life’s only just begun. ❤️ #KaneWilliamson”
Photo: Twitter/@BLACKCAPS
After retiring, Kane Williamson is expected to be seen playing T20 franchise cricket in leagues such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), Big Bash League (BBL), UAE’s ILT20, and the USA’s Major League Cricket (MLC).
Currently, Kane Williamson is working as a Strategic Advisor for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL.
He may also be seen working in coaching roles or in broadcasting, where he could share his experience and insights about the game.
