Previously, he made only 21 runs in two ODI fixtures facing England.
After securing an enthralling five-match home T20I series with the scoreline of 3-1, New Zealand will next take on the West Indies for three ODIs. But the former Black Caps skipper, Kane Williamson, has not been included in the hosts’ squad for the upcoming NZ vs WI ODIs.
The veteran batter has decided to skip the 50-over series to prepare for the forthcoming three Test fixtures against the same opposition. Notably, since opting for a casual playing agreement with the New Zealand cricket board, Williamson has focused more on featuring in the growing T20 leagues around the world.
However, the player has recently represented the Kiwis in the latest ICC event, the Champions Trophy 2025 and in their home ODI series against England. Williamson’s last Test appearance dates back to December 2024, when he had notched up 200 runs in the third New Zealand vs England Test, including a sublime 156-run knock.
Previously, the batter had missed New Zealand’s latest red-ball fixture against Zimbabwe due to his franchise commitments. Williamson was playing for Middlesex in the County Championships and T20 Blast during the ZIM vs NZ Tests in August 2025. His return to the format after a long gap of 11 months might have pushed the batter to opt for some extra preparation ahead of the crucial red-ball series.
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The 35-year-old has put up 9,276 runs in 105 Test fixtures of his career so far. These extraordinary stats also include 33 tons and 37 fifty-plus scores, at a commendable average of 54.88.
Moreover, Williamson became the first skipper to win the coveted ICC World Test Championship (WTC) title in 2021. During his leadership tenure, the player had guided New Zealand to 22 Test victories, eight draws, and 10 losses out of 40 matches.
New Zealand Squad for NZ vs WI ODIs: Mitchell Santner (C), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham (WK), Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Will Young.
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