New Zealand’s Kane Williamson has retired from international cricket with immediate effect, ending a 16-year career as the country’s most prolific all-format run scorer, New Zealand Cricket announced on Friday.
The 35-year-old finishes on 19,346 international runs across 378 games — the all-time New Zealand record — with 48 centuries including six double-centuries. He had stepped back from T20Is in November and said the last few days had made it clear “now is the right time” to take the final step. His retirement means he will play no further part in the BLACKCAPS’ current Test series in England, with a replacement still to be named.
Williamson led the BLACKCAPS in all three formats during a 2016-2024 captaincy run that produced two ICC World Cup finals, three semi-finals and the inaugural ICC World Test Championship title in 2021. He captained 40 Tests for 22 wins, 91 ODIs for 46 wins, and 75 T20Is for 39 wins — the latter the most by any New Zealand captain. He became the fastest and youngest player to score Test centuries against every major Test-playing nation in 2016.
“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,” Williamson said. “Continuing with anything less wouldn’t be right and I feel fortunate to step away on my own terms.”
Coach Rob Walter called him “an unflappable leader and the architect of some of our greatest moments in cricket.” New Zealand and Sri Lanka are tied to play a bilateral series in January-February 2027 as part of the centenary engagement framework signed in May.
