Kane Williamson’s Six-Year Streak Ends with Single-Digit Score in Champions Trophy Opener Against Pakistan

New Zealand’s star batter Kane Williamson saw his remarkable six-year streak of avoiding single-digit scores in ODIs come to an end during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener against Pakistan on Wednesday. Williamson, known for his consistency, was dismissed for just one run in two balls, breaking a run that had lasted since January 5, 2019.

Batting at No. 3 after New Zealand reached 39/1, Williamson failed to anchor the innings as he edged a delivery from Naseem Shah to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. The dismissal marked his first single-digit ODI score in 38 matches and 36 innings. The last time Williamson was dismissed for a score under 10 was more than six years ago against Sri Lanka, where he managed only one run off nine balls.

During this six-year period, Williamson amassed 1,775 runs at a phenomenal average of 61.20, scoring three centuries and 12 fifties. His performances included a standout campaign in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, where he was named Player of the Tournament after scoring 578 runs in nine innings at an average of 82.57, including two centuries and two fifties, with a top score of 148.

Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan had won the toss and opted to field first in the opening match of the tournament. While Williamson’s early dismissal was a rare failure for the New Zealand captain, his record over the years remains a testament to his incredible consistency in international cricket.

Playing XIs:

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.