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New Zealand captain Kane Williamson penned a heartfelt note for the SunRisers Hyderabad after the franchise released him on Tuesday. The elegant right-handed batter underlined that the team and city will always be special to him.
The 32-year-old endured a torrid time with the SunRisers Hyderabad last year as the runs dried up from his bat. As captain, he managed only 216 runs in 13 games, with only one fifty at 19.64, striking at 19.51. His struggles meant that the Orange Army also did, finishing eighth in the points table with six wins from 14 games.
Taking to his official Instagram account, Williamson wrote:
"To the franchise, my teammates, the staff, and the always amazing #orangearmy - thank you for making it an enjoyable 8 years. This team and the city of Hyderabad will always be special to me."
Nevertheless, the Kiwi batter was once a prolific run-getter for Hyderabad. The Tauranga-born cricketer was the Orange Cap holder in the 2018 edition, amassing 735 runs in 17 games at 52.50. He has also captained the franchise in 46 games, recording 22 wins.
"I totally get the decision" - Tom Moody on SRH releasing Kane Williamson
Former SRH head coach Tom Moody backed the franchise's decision to let go of their captain, given his poor season and the money shelled out. Speaking to Star Sports, he said:
"It's going to be interesting to see what the new management does with regards to Kane Williamson. He is one of the game's great leaders. Yes, he had a poor time in the last 12 months, but it is quite clear that they have made a decision to change quite a significant pillar in what their future was going to look like."
"I totally get the decision given the poor team form. It is a huge amount of money for a foreign player. You are always going to have to pay big money for a top Indian player."
After releasing 12 players, the 2016 IPL champions have a purse left of INR 42.25 crores.
