Kane Williamson to Hang Up His T20 Boots, Focus on Test Cricket
New Zealand's veteran captain Kane Williamson has announced his decision to retire from Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket, a format he has dominated with 2,575 runs at an average of 33. The move comes as no surprise given the T20 World Cup is just months away.
Williamson's departure from the shortest format will allow him to focus on Test cricket, where he will likely continue to be a key player for New Zealand. According to Williamson, his decision was made in order to give the team "clarity" ahead of their next major tournament and to enable the team to push forward with new talent.
The 35-year-old had previously captained the Black Caps on 75 occasions, leading them to two World Cup semi-finals and a final in 2021. He has been backed by Mitch Santner, who took over as captain after Williamson's retirement from T20I cricket.
Williamson will continue to play the shortest format in franchise cricket, where he could feature in The Hundred next summer with his London Spirit team. However, it seems that this will be a rare exception to his new focus on Test cricket.
In a statement, Williamson said: "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." He added that he is excited about the future of New Zealand cricket under Santner's leadership.
With his decision to retire from T20I cricket, Williamson will be leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest players in the format. His departure marks an exciting new chapter for New Zealand cricket, with Santner at the helm and the team looking forward to pushing themselves into the future.
New Zealand's veteran captain Kane Williamson has announced his decision to retire from Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket, a format he has dominated with 2,575 runs at an average of 33. The move comes as no surprise given the T20 World Cup is just months away.
Williamson's departure from the shortest format will allow him to focus on Test cricket, where he will likely continue to be a key player for New Zealand. According to Williamson, his decision was made in order to give the team "clarity" ahead of their next major tournament and to enable the team to push forward with new talent.
The 35-year-old had previously captained the Black Caps on 75 occasions, leading them to two World Cup semi-finals and a final in 2021. He has been backed by Mitch Santner, who took over as captain after Williamson's retirement from T20I cricket.
Williamson will continue to play the shortest format in franchise cricket, where he could feature in The Hundred next summer with his London Spirit team. However, it seems that this will be a rare exception to his new focus on Test cricket.
In a statement, Williamson said: "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." He added that he is excited about the future of New Zealand cricket under Santner's leadership.
With his decision to retire from T20I cricket, Williamson will be leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest players in the format. His departure marks an exciting new chapter for New Zealand cricket, with Santner at the helm and the team looking forward to pushing themselves into the future.
he was like the king of that format, and now hes gonna focus on test cricket which is defo a great move for him and new zealand 
he had so many amazing moments with the black caps and it wouldnt be the same without him 
but i get why hes making this move, hes got to give the team clarity and let the younger guys shine through 
cant wait to see how santner does as captain tho 
, but I gotta say, 35 is still young to be retiring, you feel me? 
He's gonna focus on Test cricket now and let the youngsters shine, which is fair dinkum. Santner's got this, he's been backing him up for a bit already. And Kane's still gonna play The Hundred with his London Spirit team, that's just crazy 
. Anyway, it's gonna be sad to see him go, but I'm sure he'll always be remembered as one of the all-time greats in T20 cricket. Time to bring out the big guns in Test cricket now! 
... i think its good he's focusing on Test cricket, we need more stability there 
. 2,575 runs in T20s is insane btw, the dude's a legend 
. it's not like he's leaving the game entirely tho, he'll still be playing franchise cricket, so we'll get to see him in action again 
️. cant wait to see what the future holds for NZ cricket with Mitch Santner at the helm 
he's been carrying the T20I team on his back for ages & it's time for someone else to take the reins 
. it's awesome he's focusing on Test cricket, where he can still have a big impact and create more unforgettable moments for New Zealand fans 
. his legacy in the shortest format will be hard to replace, but Mitch Santner is already showing promise as captain, so the future of Black Caps looks bright 
anyway its sad to see the end of an era but i trust mitch santner to take care of business and bring home more wins for black caps
. By stepping aside from the shortest format, he's not only prioritizing Test cricket but also ensuring the Black Caps have clarity ahead of their next major tournament 
. This move will undoubtedly allow New Zealand to push forward with new talent and create a fresh chapter in their cricketing history 
!
I'm really gonna miss seeing Kane Williamson smash those sixes in T20Is... he was like a one-man show out there 
! But you gotta respect the decision - it's clear he wants to focus on Test cricket where he can be even more dominant 
but it makes sense that he's shifting his focus to Test cricket now that the big tournaments are coming up. 2,575 runs is insane though, and I'll always remember him leading the Black Caps with so much pride 
... but i guess its time for him to focus on test cricket 
... he's had such a big impact in the t20 world and it'll be weird not seeing him around that format anymore 
... but with Mitch at the helm, i'm sure the black caps will do just fine 
santner's got a tough job ahead of him, but he's a great leader and i trust him to take care of things. wonder if we'll see Kane at The Hundred though, that would be awesome 