Being plucked off by Afghanistan and getting juiced by the Carrebeans, it was a sour T20 World Cup for the Kiwis. Letting Uganda and Papua New Guinea know how bad a World Cup’s big match-up could taste wasn’t enough for them to survive the group stage. A team that reached the final of the 2021 edition and played the semis in 2022, went packing in a hurry this time, leaving the world to the news that their captain Kane Williamson has declined the central contract for the upcoming year.
Yes, it was yesterday, on May 19, when the news came out, and it has been foggy for the people who went after digging out the exact reason for Williamson’s step-down. Was it over the dismay over the abysmal run in the T20 World Cup? Well, the captain answered the million-dollar question for New Zealand Cricket—but why?
But Why?
Williamson is indeed heartbroken, but this is not the prime reason for his pull-off from the contract. When you have to choose one or the other, you choose what is best for you. Williamson did the same when he had to pick between the central contract and the flamboyant SA20.
And this will naturally raise a couple of questions. Is Williamson prioritizing SA20 over playing for New Zealand? Why couldn’t he have the central contract and the chance to simultaneously play in the South African League?
Why Kane Williamson Declined the Central Contract?
All this is because of a rule by the NZC (New Zealand Cricket). The rule says a player should take part in Super Smash if they don’t have any international duty to be eligible for the central contract. As both leagues happen around the same time, a much more exciting SA20 would be a better option for a player. Williamson sees the same but also clarifies that playing for New Zealand is still his priority.
“There’s a number of great competitions on during that time, but SA20 looks really exciting. Unfortunately, it meant turning down a central contract, however, my priority still is, absolutely, playing for New Zealand. Think I miss maybe a handful of games over a three-week period.
“It’s simply the contract, the rules that currently exist meant I wasn’t able to have one but in terms of playing for New Zealand I’m not missing almost any cricket really, so that was important to me.”
Will Williamson Play the WTC Match Against India?
Most likely. The only matches that he will miss are the ODIs and T20Is against Sri Lanka. Though his participation in the Test match against Afghanistan in September is still unsure, he will most probably be padding up for the Kiwis in the WTC series against Sri Lanka and India away.
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