Kane Williamson has brought down the curtain on his international cricket career with immediate effect, ending a 16-year journey with the Black Caps despite being in the middle of an England trip.
The 35-year-old departs as New Zealand’s highest run-scorer across all international formats. He has accumulated 19,346 runs in 378 appearances for the Black Caps and has hit 48 centuries and six double-hundreds.
Williamson had already stepped back from T20 internationals in November and has now pulled back from all formats of the sport.
Beyond the runs, Williamson’s captaincy defined a golden period for New Zealand cricket. He led the Kiwis across all three formats between 2016 and 2024.
During his tenure, New Zealand reached two ICC World Cup finals, made three semi-final appearances, and also won the inaugural ICC World Test Championship title in 2021, beating India at Lord’s.
In a statement confirming the decision, Williamson insisted that he believes it is the right time for him to hang up his boots.
“I’ve thought about it for a while, but over the last few days it’s become clear now is the right time,” he said.
“I’ve always felt a strong drive and hunger for international cricket, and I take pride in knowing I’ve given it my all in every match I’ve played for New Zealand. Continuing with anything less wouldn’t be right, and I feel fortunate to step away on my own terms.
“I leave feeling optimistic about where this group is heading. There’s a huge amount of talent, and a real desire to do something special with this New Zealand team. It’s a team I love, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of it for so long. It will continue to be dear to my heart.”
