Kane Williamson’s Drought Breaking Ton Helps Black Caps Put Pressure on Pakistan

Pakistan has always appealed as the ideal place for Kane Williamson to end his away Test match in less than a century.

Williamson remains undefeated with 137 Day 4 of first test against Pakistan In Karachi on a Thursday night (NZ time) as New Zealand went to lunch at 519-6. This gave them an 81-run lead with five sessions remaining in the opening game of a two-match series.

He brought out his 25th test century late on day three, and in doing so registered the first test tonne to leave home in just over four years.

The 32-year-old averaged 78.40 in just 12 innings, trailing New Zealand by three centuries and two 50 points.

Williamson had nine tests between his previous away century and his first 100 century at Karachi National Stadium.

During that time, he ate five tons at home (three of which spanned two centuries) and posted the best batting average in the last five years of the Test at 61.05 in 42 innings. This put him ahead of Pakistani skipper Babar Azam (59.54), Australia’s Marnus Lavshagne (59.05) and Steve His Smith (57.22), with teammate Devon Conway (53.15) in the top five.

In December 2018, Williamson scored a series-closing 139 in two innings that decided the third and final Test of the series in a 2–1 win over UAE’s Black Caps.

He shared a five-wicket stand of 212 runs with fellow centurion Henry Nichols after already top-scoring with 89 out of just 274 in New Zealand’s first innings.

But between that ton and his current ton at Karachi, Williamson struggled in Sri Lanka and Australia in 2019 and missed twice against England at Lords in 2021 before winning over India at Southampton at Worlds. He made two important contributions in the Test Championship final.

In the four months between late last year and this spring, an elbow injury meant he only scored just 48 in six innings against India and England.

Williamson now has six centuries in the subcontinent and the Middle East combined, starting with a 131 in his Test debut against India in Ahmedabad in 2010.

Others on the list before Karachi this week were against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2012, against Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2013, 192 in the notable Test in Sharjah the following year, and 2018. It was a winner’s match in Abu Dhabi in 2013. .

Williamson beat his away test drought without the captaincy responsibility given to Tim Southey in a shock move just before the team’s departure.

Kane Williamson’s Test of the Last Five Centuries Abroad:

140 v Australia in Brisbane, November 2015

166 v Australia Perth, November 2015

133 v Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, August 2016

139 vs Pakistan, Abu Dhabi, December 2018

*137no v Pakistan, Karachi, December 2022