Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has announced his retirement from Twenty20 internationals, drawing the curtain on a 93-match career in the shortest format. The 35-year-old batsman, who had already passed on the white-ball captaincy to Mitchell Santner, confirmed the decision on Sunday, just months before the next T20 World Cup.
He signs off as New Zealand's second-highest run-scorer in men's T20Is, with 2,575 runs at an average of 33, including 18 half-centuries. Since his 2011 debut, he captained the team in 75 of those games, leading the Black Caps to the T20 World Cup final in 2021 (where he scored a memorable 85 in a losing cause against Australia) and semi-finals in 2016 and 2022.
The retirement gives the team clarity ahead of its next major focus, the T20 World Cup. "It gives the team clarity for the series moving forward and ahead of their next major focus which is the T20 World Cup," Williamson said. He stressed the importance of developing new players, noting, "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."
NZ Cricket Chief Executive Scott Weenink praised Williamson's contributions. “Kane’s performances as a player and his service as captain of the T20 side have been nothing short of immense," Weenink said. “His runs in all conditions around the world reflect the world class batsman that he is and are equally matched by the influence of his leadership on and off the field." Weenink added that the T20 team "experienced great consistency and success under Kane's watch and he certainly leaves the team in good health."
Williamson will continue to play for New Zealand in Test cricket, with his immediate focus being the three-match series against the West Indies beginning December 2 in Christchurch. He remains open-minded about his future in one-day internationals and will continue to play T20 franchise cricket globally.
The decision comes as a "delicate balance" between his international career, franchise commitments, and the demands of a young family. He stated the timing was right for both him and the team, adding, "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."
