All participating teams of the Indian T20 League have announced the names of their released and retained players ahead of the mini-auction for the next season. Notably, the mini-auction for the 2023 edition is scheduled to be hosted later this year in the month of December.
Meanwhile, veteran New Zealand skipper and one of the finest modern-day batters, Kane Williamson is one of the big names released by the Hyderabad-based franchise. The World Test Champion skipper could score only 216 runs in the 13 games he played last season for Hyderabad having only one half-century to his name.
After being released by Hyderabad, the former skipper of 2016's Indian T20 League champions has come up with a heartfelt note for the team and the individuals associated with him.
Here's what Kane Williamson said:
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"To the franchise, my teammates, the staff, and the always amazing #orangearmy - thank you for making it an enjoyable 8 years. This team and the city of Hyderabad will always be special to me," wrote Williamson in a post on his official Instagram handle.
Speaking of the veteran Kiwi batter’s stint with Hyderabad in the Indian T20 League, he was the orange cap holder in the 2018 edition of the tournament. The 32-year-old amassed 735 runs in 17 games with an average of 52.50. The Tauranga-born batting prodigy had also led Hyderabad in 46 games in which he registered 22 wins.
Following Kane’s departure from the team, former coach of the franchise, Tom Moody has also cleared his stand over the franchise’s decision of relieving the Kiwi veteran.
"It's going to be interesting to see what the new management does with regards to Kane Williamson. He is one of the game's great leaders. Yes, he had a poor time in the last 12 months, but it is quite clear that they have made a decision to change quite a significant pillar in what their future was going to look like,” said Moody.
"I totally get the decision given the poor team form. It is a huge amount of money for a foreign player. You are always going to have to pay big money for a top Indian player,” he added later.