New Zealand legend Kane Williamson quits international cricket with immediate effect
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New Zealandcricket captain Kane Williamson has announced his immediate retirement from international cricket, midway through the ongoing Test series against England.
Williamson concludes his 16-year Test career as his nation’s all-time leading run-scorer, accumulating nearly 10,000 runs and 33 centuries, and famously captained New Zealand to the World Test Championship title in 2021.
Beyond Tests, he also led the Blackcaps to the finals of the 2015 and 2019 Cricket World Cups, amassing a total of 19,346 runs and 48 centuries across all formats since his debut in 2010.
The 35-year-old stated that the decision felt like the “right time” as he could no longer commit his absolute all to international cricket, despite the surprising timing of the announcement with two Tests remaining against England.
His departure creates a significant void in New Zealand’s batting line-up ahead of the second Test, with the team expected to call up a replacement, though Henry Nicholls and Will Young are already with the squad.
