Arguably one of New Zealand’s greatest batter in the current era, Kane Williamson called curtains on his stellar international career, spanning 16 years and over 378 matches across formats. Williamson is the 1st batter from the fabled ‘Fab Four’ to retire from all formats, Virat Kohli had previously announced his retirement from T20I and Test cricket and Aussie batter Steve Smith retired from ODI cricket. Joe Root is now the only fab four batter to be active across formats. The term was coined by Kiwi legend Martin Crowe.
Williamson finished as the highest run scorer for New Zealand with 19,346 runs. With 9515 runs in test cricket, Williamson was less than 500 runs short the the elusive 10k club. He was also one of the most successful captain the Kiwis have ever head, with consistent playoff appearances in numerous tournaments and winning the first ever Test Championship in 2021.
Williamson’s closing words
“I’ve thought about it for a while, but over the last few days it’s become clear now is the right time.
“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.
“Continuing with anything less wouldn’t be right and I feel fortunate to step away on my own terms.
“I leave feeling optimistic about where this group is heading. There’s a huge amount of talent, and a real desire to do something special with this New Zealand team.
“It’s a team I love, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of it for so long. It will continue to be dear to my heart.”
Williamson finsihes his career with numerous records and accolades to his name. He will play no further part in the ongoing English tour, with a replacement to be announced in due course.
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