Kane Williamson slams his 17th T20I fifty: Key stats
What's the story
Kane Williamson notched up his 17th T20I fifty during the second game of the three-match series against India. The New Zealand captain batted cautiously as wickets were falling regularly at the other end. He scored 61 off 52 deliveries (4s: 4, 6s: 2). Notably, his strike rate has been a hot topic of discussion lately. NZ lost the game by 65 runs.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Suryakumar Yadav scored an unbeaten century (111) as India posted 191/6 in their allotted 20 overs in Mount Maunganui. In reply, the hosts lost opener Finn Allen for a duck in the first over and Williamson arrived subsequently. Although the veteran batter did not look at his fluent best, he continued to fight. However, his efforts did not really help the Kiwis much.
Career
How has Williamson fared in T20Is?
Williamson is NZ's second-highest run-getter in T20Is with 2,464 runs in 87 games. While the experienced batter averages 33.29, his strike rate is 123.01 in the format. Against India, he has scored 419 runs in 13 T20Is at an average of 34.91. His highest T20I score of 95 was also recorded against the Men in Blue in 2020.
Approach
Williamson's cautious approach has hurt NZ lately
In 13 T20Is this year, Williamson has scored 443 runs at an average of 36.91. However, he has been striking at a paltry rate of 118.76. Owing to the same, he has faced massive criticism over his intent and approach. In fact, eight of his 17 T20I half-centuries have come in a losing cause. He has scored 1,079 runs in these games.
Summary
How did the match pan out?
India posted 191/6 after being asked to bat first at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. While SKY slammed a ton, Ishan Kishan (36) was the only other Indian batter to cross the 15-run mark. Tim Southee recorded a hat-trick in the last over. In reply, NZ lost wickets at regular intervals and never really looked in the hunt. They were bundled out for 126.