New Delhi [India], June 12 : Former Australian cricketer David Warner penned a tribute for New Zealand cricketer Kane Williamson after the latter announced a surprise retirement from international cricket on Friday.
Warner, who shared the dressing room with Williamson at Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), hailed the now-retired Black Caps cricketer, saying, "It's been an honour to call you a teammate, an opponent, and most importantly, a friend."
Williamson played eight seasons for the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise SRH and in those eight seasons, he played four editions under the captaincy of Warner.
Taking to his Instagram, Warner praised Williamson for his remarkable career, saying his achievements speak for themselves but that his character stood out even more. Warner described Williamson as humble, respectful, and a true sportsman who brought out the best in those around him, and wished him and his family well for the future while calling it an honour to be his teammate, opponent, and friend.
"Kano, it's been an absolute privilege to play both alongside you and against you over the years. The runs the records and the achievements speak for themselves but what has always stood out most to me is the person behind it all. You've been one of the genuine good blokes of world cricket, humble, respectful, and someone who played the game in the right spirit every single time you walked onto the field," he said.
"Whether we were teammates or opponents, I always loved sharing the field with you because you brought out the best in everyone around you. Congratulations on an incredible career mate. It's been an honour to call you a teammate an opponent, and most importantly, a friend. Wishing you and the family all the best for whatever comes next," Warner added.
Williamson's retirement announcement brings down curtains to an international career that saw him play 378 international games for New Zealand. The 35-year-old finishes as New Zealand's all-time leading international run-scorer with 19,346 runs, including 48 centuries and six double-centuries according to the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) website.
Williamson's last assignment for New Zealand came during the 1st Test of the ongoing three-match series against England, at Lord's in London, where he scored a duck in the first innings and contributed 18 runs in the second. New Zealand eventually faced a 115-run loss in the Test.
As a captain, Williamson led New Zealand in 40 Tests, registering 22 wins, 10 losses, and 8 draws, second only to Stephen Fleming, who has 28 wins from 80 Tests. In 91 ODIs under his leadership, New Zealand recorded 46 wins, 40 losses, 1 tie, and 4 no-results, again second to Fleming's 98 wins from 218 ODIs.
He holds the record for the most T20I wins by a New Zealand captain with 39 victories in 75 matches.