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Kane Williamson announced his retirement from international cricket on Friday, June 12, 2026. The New Zealand national cricket team batsman announced his retirement amid England’s tour of New Zealand and ahead of the second Test against England, which is scheduled to begin next week. The former captain has been one of the finest batsmen of modern cricket.
Kane Williamson ended his illustrious 16-year career with the announcement of his retirement. The former Kiwi captain is the only captain to win the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) in 2021 by defeating India by 8 wickets in the final and it is one of his most memorable achievements in his long cricket career.
Kane Williamson’s IPL career
Kane Williamson has been a key part of the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL), where he led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to the 2018 final after taking over the captaincy from David Warner after Warner was suspended by Cricket Australia and BCCI in the wake of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Kane Williamson had the best season with SRH as he won the Orange Cap in the 2018 season with 735 runs.
Now, the latter has shared a heartfelt message for his former SRH teammate on Instagram. The duo have played 42 IPL matches as teammates for Sunrisers Hyderabad between 2015 and 2021, winning the title in 2016. In the final IPL season with the Orange Army, Williamson was once again announced as captain in the middle, replacing Warner.
It’s an absolute privilege to play with him – David Warner shares heartfelt message for Kane Williamson
David Warner wrote, “Kano, it has been an absolute privilege to play with and against you over the years. The runs, records and achievements speak for themselves but what has meant the most to me is the person behind it all. You have been one of the true nice guys of world cricket, polite, respectful and someone who has played the game in the right spirit every time you have taken to the field.”
“Whether we were teammates or rivals, I always loved sharing the field with you because you brought out the best in everyone around you. Congratulations on an incredible career partner. It’s an honor to call you a teammate, a rival, and most importantly a friend. Best wishes to you and your family in whatever comes next.”
Kane Williamson becomes New Zealand’s greatest ever player
Williamson became the leading run scorer for New Zealand across all formats with 378 matches; He has scored 19,346 runs at an average of 48.12. He has scored 48 centuries and 103 half-centuries in his 16-year career. Under his captaincy, New Zealand has played in three ICC finals: the 2019 ODI World Cup, the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2021 WTC.
The former Kiwi skipper was also the Player of the Tournament at the ODI World Cup 2019 for his amazing performances in the tournament, although he could not take the Black Caps over the line and missed the boundary count in the final. Williamson recently served as a strategic advisor for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL.
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