Kane Williamson, the highest run-scorer for New Zealand, turned 35 on August 8th. He is celebrated for leading the team to their first World Test Championship (WTC) title. Before his international debut, Williamson amassed 40 centuries in club cricket, earning him a spot in the national team. He is currently playing in The Hundred league in England, despite not being active in the New Zealand team at the moment.
Williamson was born in Tauranga, New Zealand, on August 8, 1990. He captained the New Zealand U-19 team at the World Cup at the age of 17. He made his international debut against India in 2010. In ODIs, he scored his first century against Bangladesh, becoming the youngest New Zealander to achieve this milestone. He also marked his debut match with a century against India, becoming the eighth New Zealand player to do so, scoring 131 runs in that match. Throughout his career, Williamson has broken numerous records.
Under Williamson’s captaincy, New Zealand won their first WTC title in 2021, defeating India in the final. He also led New Zealand to the final of the 2019 ODI World Cup, where they lost to England. In 2021, the team reached the final of the T20 World Cup under his leadership, ultimately losing to Australia. Williamson has scored over 19,000 runs in his international career.
Williamson is one of New Zealand’s most successful captains. He has played 371 international matches, scoring 19,086 runs with 48 centuries. In 105 Test matches, he has scored 9,276 runs at an average of 54.88, including 33 centuries and 37 half-centuries. He has also played 173 ODIs, scoring 7,235 runs at an average of 49.21, with 15 centuries and 47 half-centuries. In 93 T20Is, he has scored 2,575 runs at an average of 33.44, with 18 half-centuries. Williamson has played in the Indian Premier League for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans. He has been out of the Kiwi team since the Champions Trophy.