“It’s the right time for me” - Kane Williamson announces retirement from T20Is

The New Zealand veteran batter Kane Williamson has announced his retirement from his T20I career with immediate effect on Sunday, November 2. Furthermore, he will miss the forthcoming white-ball series against the West Indies to focus on the upcoming Test series against the West Indies.

For the unversed, Williamson made his T20I debut in 2011 and went on to become the second-leading run-scorer for New Zealand, amassing 2575 runs at an average of 33 with 18 half-centuries.

Also, he led the BlackCaps 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, the former NZ skipper asserted that he is grateful for the memories and experiences. 

“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. 

“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. 

Williamson’s next professional game is likely to be 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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