Kane Williamson

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FULL NAME

Kane Williamson

TEAMS

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders

The anchor in a power-hitting side

Williamson is a right-handed batter who bowls right-arm off-break, and he is the anchor the Knight Riders' explosive top order needs. Finn Allen and Colin Munro hit the ball as hard as anyone in the league; Williamson is the man who makes sure a fast start does not become a collapse.

His record needs little introduction: more than 100 Tests for New Zealand, captain of the side that won the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021, and the batter who carried New Zealand to the 2019 World Cup final, where he was named player of the tournament. In T20 cricket he is a different player from the power-hitters around him — he scores through timing, placement and reading the game — and that is exactly why the Knight Riders signed him. When the powerplay ends and the spinners come on, Williamson is the man you want at the crease.

Career so far

Williamson made his New Zealand debut in 2010 and has since scored more than 9,000 Test runs, including 33 hundreds, and captained his country in all three formats. He led New Zealand to the World Test Championship title in 2021, beating India in the final at Southampton.

His franchise career has taken him to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL — where he captained the side to the 2018 final and won the Orange Cap — and to the Caribbean Premier League and the ILT20. He has also played in the Big Bash and The Hundred. His T20 game is built on class rather than power: he is one of the few batters in the world who can score at a strike rate above 130 without ever looking like he is trying to hit the ball hard.

The batting around him

The Knight Riders' batting is a study in contrasts. Allen and Munro are powerplay hitters, Williamson is the anchor, Andre Fletcher and Michael Pepper add wicketkeeping depth, and Moeen Ali, Gulbadin Naib and Sunil Narine give the lower order its power.

Williamson's role is to bat through the middle overs, rotate the strike against spin, and be there at the end. In a league where most sides collapse when their openers fall, a number three of Williamson's quality is a luxury — and it is the signing that could turn the Knight Riders from contenders into champions.

What’s next

Williamson's ILT20 season starts on 22 November against Dubai Capitals in Dubai, and the Knight Riders' first home game follows against MI Emirates on 26 November. The full list of every ILT20 fixture is on the ILT20 Schedule.

• Match 3 — Dubai Capitals: Sunday 22 November 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Match 7 — MI Emirates: Thursday 26 November 2026, evening session, Abu Dhabi.
• Match 11 — Sharjah Warriorz: Sunday 29 November 2026, afternoon session, Abu Dhabi.
• Match 13 — MI Emirates: Monday 30 November 2026, evening session, Abu Dhabi.
• Match 15 — Desert Vipers: Wednesday 2 December 2026, afternoon session, Abu Dhabi.
• Match 17 — Gulf Giants: Thursday 3 December 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Match 19 — Gulf Giants: Saturday 5 December 2026, evening session, Abu Dhabi.
• Match 24 — Sharjah Warriorz: Wednesday 9 December 2026, evening session, Sharjah.
• Match 27 — Desert Vipers: Saturday 12 December 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Match 30 — Dubai Capitals: Monday 14 December 2026, evening session, Abu Dhabi.
• Playoffs: Qualifier 1 on Tuesday 16 December, the Eliminator on Wednesday 17 December, Qualifier 2 on Friday 18 December, and the final on Sunday 20 December in Dubai.

Follow every ILT20 result as it happens on SialTV, with the points table updated after every match day.