Kane Williamson stepped down as the captain of New Zealand cricket team!

Kane Williamson, the current captain of New Zealand in T20 International (T20I) and One Day International (ODI), has announced that he will step down as white-ball captain and will not accept the central contract for the 2024-25 season. The decision comes after New Zealand’s disappointing T20 World Cup campaign, where they failed to reach the semi-finals.

Williamson rejected the contract

33-year-old Williamson has had a brilliant career, in which he has played 100 Tests, 165 ODIs and 93 T20 matches. He has led New Zealand in 40 Tests, 91 ODIs and 75 T20 matches, including their finals in the World Test Championship 2021, ODI World Cup 2019 and T20 World Cup 2021. Despite his impressive record, Williamson has decided to step down from his white-ball captaincy to pursue his international career.

In a statement issued by New Zealand Cricket (NZC), Williamson expressed his commitment and willingness to contribute to this effort to take the team forward across all formats. However, he may not accept the offer of a Central contract, with the intention of seeking an overseas opportunity during the New Zealand summer, which is the lowest in terms of international cricket.

Kane Williamson will continue playing international cricket

Williamson’s decision to step down from captaincy and reject the central contract does not mean the end of his international career. He will be available for all three formats, with his focus being on the World Test Championship. He will be available for eight World Test Championship matches before Christmas and will also take part in the ICC Champions Trophy tournament to be held in Pakistan in February-March.