Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has broken his silence on his long-term plans, confirming that the upcoming ODI World Cup in 2027 is definitely at the back of his mind. However, while that major tournament is a consideration, Williamson emphasized his equally strong desire to remain deeply involved in red-ball cricket.
Williamson is preparing for his return to international cricket for the ODI series against England. However, he noted that discussions about his availability for the remainder of New Zealand's home summer fixtures are still ongoing. The veteran is currently operating under a casual contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC), a status that has allowed him to prioritise involvement in franchise cricket. Demonstrating this focus, he chose to miss out on both the Australia T20I series and the Zimbabwe tour in favor of featuring in county cricket and The Hundred tournaments.
I love love the game, but balance is the most important thing for me: Kane Williamson
With the 2027 ICC World Cup on the horizon, many cricketers are racing against time to prove their worth for team selection. Williamson, however, is approaching the challenge gradually, reflecting a focus on balancing his personal goals with the team's wider priorities. He added that the final decision regarding his future commitment will ultimately be a blend of the team's direction and his personal wishes.
"As your life situation changes as mine has and incredibly grateful as well for that with three young children and the balance between where you spend your time and give your attention is really, really important to me. So still being able to play for New Zealand and play the sport that I love at the highest level is great, but the balance is the most important thing for me," Williamson told NZC.
"I still love the game, and have a strong desire to get better and train hard and offer whatever I can for the team and that's really important to me as a young player or as a school kid that was always the thing was you just worked hard at your game, you always tried to get better and that's kind of not changed," he added.
Will Kane Williamson play ODI World Cup 2027?
The 35-year-old explained that he is adopting a measured approach to his cricketing future, choosing not to look too far ahead in detail. While taking this gradual view, he did mention the ODI World Cup in 2027 as a significant point of reference in his long-term plans.
"Not (looking) too far ahead I mean I guess back in my mind is there's probably the ODI World Cup and there's always other things, Test cricket is pretty dear to me as well so really it's a little bit about what I want and a little bit more about what the team wants and where it's going and what we're sort of buying into," he further stated.
"Just sort of keeping those lines of communication open to make sure that we're nice and focused and clear on what it looks like. But also being sort of really respectful of the fact that this is a team in a special place and they're always trying to build towards something. So for me in this phase of my career it's if I'm there and able to add to it, brilliant," Williamson concluded.