Williamson on evolution, heartbreak and hope

New Zealand batter Kane Williamson remains unique in his attention to tradition in the modern era of T20 cricket. The legendary batter arrived to play for Rajshahi Warriors in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) ahead of their qualifier match on Wednesday and spoke about his experiences in the ICC Test Championship, his batting in the modern era, and the Black Caps’ chances in the upcoming T20 World Cup during a media interaction on Thursday. The excerpts of it are as follows:

Q: A lot happened during the 2019 ODI World Cup final against England. How did you keep yourself calm in that situation?

Kane Williamson (KW): The 2019 World Cup was an incredible event. After over two months of cricket, to end up in a final and for it to play out as it did was a remarkable match. It was probably one of the great matches in the history of our sport. As a team, we were very focused on the style of cricket that we had come to know was important in England over that two-month period. At the end of the day, the result was what it was, but internally, we were proud of our efforts and how we went about our cricket. We committed to that wholeheartedly, and regarding the things outside your control, like some of the rules, you need to try and let them go, and that’s what we tried to do.

Q: How great was it to win the Test Championship after that heartbreak in 2019?

KW: It was an amazing match to be a part of. At the time, it was emotional and difficult to make sense of because we had played thousands of games of cricket and never experienced a result decided in that fashion. To go into the Test Championship final just a few months later was quite special. It felt fitting to put together a strong performance against a world-class side like India and come away with the mace.

Q: How does the BPL differ from other franchises you have played in?

KW: It is difficult to say definitively as I've just played one game. No doubt, there is a huge passion for cricket in Bangladesh. It has huge support, which we saw with the crowd yesterday. It is a great occasion, and you see how the cricketers are treated. You see a really high standard as well, with subtle differences across franchises in different countries. It looks like a fantastic competition.

Q: You are known for your technical and grammatical batting. In modern cricket, do you think maintaining classical skills is possible, or is the demand for high strike rates destroying them?

KW: The game just keeps evolving. For any player, it is about trying to use what they have to find ways to play a valuable role in teams. You might get 150-run wickets that require a little more craftsmanship, and then you get on some that might be 230-run wickets where you have to adjust accordingly. I think it is a wonderful thing that you're always trying to evolve. There is always a lot of talk about strike rates, but I think it is more about the contribution to the team and trying to win games. A good example was the partnership with Jimmy Neesham last night; he played a really valuable innings for the team.

Q: There is a situation involving the ICC and the World Cup regarding Bangladesh and political issues. Do you think politics should interfere with cricket?

KW: I don't know the ins and outs of that situation, so it is very difficult to comment. Ideally, you want teams to be involved in these world events. All these situations are specific, whether it's relationship-based between teams and countries. You would like to think there would be ways to work through some of these things, but these issues are potentially bigger than you and I sitting here having a conversation about it. Hopefully, they are resolved in time.

Q: What are your thoughts on the upcoming T20 World Cup and New Zealand's chances?

KW: In T20 cricket, anything can happen. Every team has match winners. On any given day, we know that teams can beat other teams. Our team has match winners as well, though we have a few injuries. Hopefully, some of those players will be fit in time. It will be a brilliant competition with upsets and different games influencing who makes the final.