Kane Williamson announces sudden retirement from T20Is with immediate effect

On Sunday, November 2, New Zealand top-order batter Kane Williamson said adieu to his T20I career, and he will miss the forthcoming white-ball series against the West Indies to keep his focus on the three-match Test series against the Caribbean side.

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Notably, Williamson, who made his T20I debut in 2011, emerged as the second-leading run-scorer for New Zealand, accumulating 2575 runs at an average of 33 with 18 half-centuries and the highest score of 95. 

He went on to lead the national side on 75 instances, leading them to two ICC T20 World Cup semi-finals in 2016 and 2022 and a final in 2021. Speaking to the media, Kane asserted that it’s the perfect time to step back from the shortest format of the game.

“It’s something that I’ve loved being a part of for a long period of time, and I’m so grateful for the memories and experiences. It’s the right time for me and the team. It gives the team clarity for the series moving forward and ahead of their next major focus, which is the T20 World Cup,” he said.

“There’s so much T20 talent there and the next period will be important to get cricket into these guys and get them ready for the World Cup. Mitch is a brilliant captain and leader - he’s really come into his own with this team,” he added.

“It’s now their time to push the BlackCaps forward in this format and I’ll be supporting from afar,” he emphasized. 

For the unversed, Williamson is likely to take part in the Plunket Shield second round clash for the Northern Districts against Auckland at Bay Oval in Tauranga, starting on Wednesday, November 26.

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“I’ve got such deep care for this team. The BlackCaps is a special place and one you want to give yourself to and get the most out of yourself for. It’s a journey and a pursuit, and that’s what I love about the international game and this environment,” he noted.

“I’ll continue to keep the lines of communication open with Rob and NZC who have given me a huge amount of support throughout,” he concluded.

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