KARACHI: Star batsmen Babar Azam and Virat Kohli paid tribute to New Zealand batting legend Kane Williamson after he announced his retirement from international cricket.
Williamson’s decision marks the end of one of the most illustrious careers in modern cricket, during which he established himself as one of the game’s most respected batsmen and leaders across all formats.
Taking to social media platform ‘X’, Babbar reflected on the mutual respect between the two players and praised Williamson’s consistency, sportsmanship and leadership for making a lasting impact on world cricket.
“It’s an honor to share the field with you Kane Williamson. Every match has taught me something new. You leave the game better than you found it. Thank you for the standard you set as a champion! Happy retirement,” Babar wrote.
Meanwhile, Kohli shared a heartfelt message reflecting on his long-standing relationship with the outgoing cricketer, highlighting both their on-field rivalry and off-field bond built on mutual respect over the years.
“From an enemy to a friend over the years. It’s been great watching you bat and compete against each other over the years, but more than that I value our friendship and shared visions of the game and beyond,” Kohli wrote.
“I love every time we talk or meet. I wish you always the best brother. You have done your part and now you deserve to enjoy it all and put your feet up. Well done my friend, life has just begun,” he added.
Williamson ended his international career as New Zealand’s greatest modern-day batsman, representing the Blackcaps in 378 matches across all formats and scoring 19,346 runs.
His illustrious record includes 48 centuries and 6 double centuries, making him the country’s leading run-scorer in international cricket.
The 35-year-old made his international debut in 2010 and had already pulled out of T20 internationals in November before confirming his full retirement.
As captain between 2016 and 2024, Williamson led New Zealand through one of their most successful eras, two ICC World Cup finals, three semi-final appearances and a historic ICC World Test Championship victory in 2021.
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