Even as England celebrated winning the World Cup, a solitary figure wearing the Black Cap jersey looked on. He had a wry smile on his face, and if you did not know better, one would not think his country had just been beaten in the final. That man was Kane Williamson.
Williamson did not accuse the system after losing on a technical rule, he did not abuse or lose his temper. He collected his runners-up medal with a smile and also seemed genuinely surprised at being named Man of the Tournament. He thanked his players, congratulated the English team and was on his way to the sidelines. The sight of him looking at the World Cup trophy said so much - he deserved it, he should have won it.
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More than people happy that England won, there are those who are sad New Zealand lost. The nice guys of cricket are loved by all and Kane Williamson is perhaps the nicest of them all. Mind you, that does not mean he lacks aggression, but he channels it in a calm manner. One of the best players across formats in the world today, he is ice cool when going about his job - be it setting a field or building an innings.?
There was no doubt people wanted him to win the Cup and Twitter is proof of it:
In an age when cricketers are not afraid to be brash or outright rude, Williamson is the calm that is needed to maintain the balance. Never one to lose it on the field, Williamson has matured beyond his years to be one of the most loved and respected players in the world today. A gifted batsman, brilliant captain and honest sportsperson, he practices what he preaches and that's why we all love him. We really wish you had won the Cup, nobody deserved it more than you.
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In 2015 he experienced a World Cup final loss as a player, now he knows how it feels to lead the side that finishes second best. He turns 29 in less than a month and has a good 6-8 years in the game left. Do not be surprised if he goes the distance 4 years later. Nice guys don't always finish last, and this nice guy certainly does not deserve to.?
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May your willow and your smile keep us entertained in the coming years. Williamson is one of a kind, a cricketer from the good old days who just ended up in the wrong era. We have heard of players ahead of their times, this man came from the age of grace to our time and boy are we lucky to have him. Whether or not he wins the World Cup or not in the future, Williamson's place in cricketing history is guaranteed. The nice guy who can hurt you without making you bleed.