Former New Zealand skipper, Kane Williamson is playing The Hundred league for London Spirit. The 2025 edition of the league is his debut season and he is leading the side too. Under his captaincy, London Spirit have played four games and have won two of them. After losing their third game to Manchester Originals, they come up with a win in the latest game against Trent Rockets.

After The Hundred game, Williamson was in conversation with the presenters and was discussing about the game. Just after conversation, Williamson shook hands with former India player Dinesh Karthik, who was one among the broadcasters. He then extended his hand towards the female presenter but the latter’s both hands were occupied by broadcasting props and he left away leaving the handshake.

Read More: “Certainly good news for me” - Chris Woakes provides recovery update after injury

Here’s the video of the incident

 

 

 

 

 

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London Spirit Squad:

David Warner, Kane Williamson(c), Jamie Smith(w), Ashton Turner, Sean Dickson, Ollie Pope, Liam Dawson, Olly Stone, Richard Gleeson, Jafer Chohan, Keaton Jennings, Luke Wood, Daniel Worrall, Wayne Madsen, Ryan Higgins

In the ninth match of The Hundred 2025 at Old Trafford, Manchester Originals finally got their first win of the season, defeating London Spirit by 10 runs. The home side had lost their first two games, while London came in after a win in their last match.

Manchester won the toss and chose to bat. Ben McKinney gave them a flying start with 29 runs off 12 balls, hitting two fours and three sixes. Jos Buttler scored 46 from 37 balls, and Phil Salt made 31 from 20. Lewis George added a quick 10 off 5 balls, taking the total to 163/5. Olly Stone and Jamie Overton took two wickets each for London.

Chasing 164, London had a slow start as David Warner and Kane Williamson struggled early. Williamson made 19 off 20 balls, while Warner fought hard with 71 off 51 balls, hitting 12 fours and a six. Jamie Overton’s quick 19 off 7 balls wasn’t enough, and London fell short by 10 runs.

ALSO READ: DPL 2025 : Updated points table and Key player stats after match-19

The sixth match of The Hundred 2025 was between Welsh Fire and London Spirit at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. Both teams had lost their first game. Welsh Fire kept the same team, while London brought in England keeper-batter Jamie Smith. Welsh Fire captain Tom Abell won the toss and chose to bowl first, hoping the pitch would be better for batting later.

London captain Kane Williamson made 14 runs from 14 balls, but David Warner batted through the innings. He scored 70 not out from 45 balls with eight fours and two sixes. Jamie Smith hit a quick 26 from 14 balls, and Ashton Turner added 24 from 14. These efforts helped London reach 163/5. Josh Hull took two wickets for Welsh Fire.

Welsh Fire had a poor start, falling to 55/6 in less than half their innings. Jonny Bairstow fought hard, hitting 86 not out from 50 balls with six fours and five sixes. Chris Green scored 32, but they still fell short.

London’s bowlers kept calm in the final overs to win by eight runs. Richard Gleeson and Liam Dawson both bowled well, giving away only 25 runs each in their sets. This gave London Spirit their first win of the season.

ALSO READ: Former Australia star ignores Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to name his top five greatest-ever batters

Oval Invincibles made a perfect start to their hunt for a third straight men’s Hundred title, beating London Spirit by six wickets at Lord’s. Spirit had a night to forget, bowled out for just 80 runs in 94 balls their second‑lowest score in the tournament’s history. Star batters David Warner and Kane Williamson, both making their Hundred debuts, could only manage 9 runs each. The rest of the batting line‑up also struggled as Invincibles’ bowlers took control.

Oval Invincibles thrash London Spirit in opening men’s Hundred match

Afghan star Rashid Khan, playing his first match for Invincibles, was the pick of the bowlers. He spun his way to brilliant figures of 3 wickets for just 11 runs. England all‑rounder Sam Curran was just as effective, taking 3 for 18 with clever slower balls that kept Spirit guessing.

Nothing clicked for London Spirit with the bat; Oval Invincibles ran the show 👏

Scorecard 🔗 https://t.co/QC9QT9bWyu pic.twitter.com/9FEkoZT82g

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) August 5, 2025

Chasing only 81 to win, Invincibles never looked in trouble. Openers Will Jacks (24 from 24 balls) and Tawanda Muyeye (18 from 20) gave them a steady start. Both fell to left‑arm spinner Liam Dawson, who bowled well for Spirit, taking 2 for 9 in his 20 balls. Dan Worrall and Ashton Turner picked up a wicket each, but the game was already in Invincibles’ control. Even a fox running onto the field briefly could not hold up their march to victory.

ALSO READ: The Hundred W 2025, Match 1: London Spirit Women vs Oval Invincibles Women full match highlights

The winning runs came with plenty of balls to spare, sealing an easy win for the defending champions. This was a clear statement from Invincibles that they mean business again this year, while Spirit will need to regroup quickly if they want to compete.

In the contemporary cricketing era, which has brought about alterations at a fast pace and bowlers are becoming increasingly sharper, making a century has become a real hallmark of excellence. However, a select few batters continue to make centuries across formats, and they have stood up to the changing challenges. Leading this elite group is Virat Kohli from India, who has attained a modern-day record of 82 centuries in international cricket, which is remarkable not only as a hallmark of class but also as a record of utter consistency over the years of international cricket, forcing many to refer to Kohli as the best batter in the world. 

Chasing Kohli are some of the greatest batters of our generation—Joe Root, Rohit Sharma, Kane Williamson, and Steve Smith. Each of these players has a different style to their game; however, they all have a common quality—when they get to the international cricket big stage, they have an ability to rise to the occasion and make it count. Whether it be a defensive Test innings or a free-flowing ODI century, these players challenge our thoughts about batting excellence and then leave us to think again.

Modern-Day Greats and Their Century Race

Virat Kohli – 82 Hundreds

For modern batting, there's nowhere to start other than the King. Kohli's name deserves to be in a golden cap, as he has dominated with 82 international hundreds, and he is quickly closing in on Sachin Tendulkar's record of 100. Kohli's hundreds have been emphatic, whether they have been cover drives at full swing or his historic chases under the lights. Kohli's centuries have always been memorable events that have inspired and lifted millions. What is remarkable is Kohli's hunger. Every time he walks out onto the field, it feels like he challenges his first hundred every time he steps out to bat. 

Joe Root - 57*

Joe Root has snuck up on everyone as the engine to England's batting. With 57 hundreds so far, Root recently took the opportunity to show again why he is so important when he managed to build another classic innings over the series with India. Root would be the last person to pick fights with journalists—which says a lot because, whoever demands the headlines, Root gets the runs. No one plays with more absolute certainty whilst wearing a helmet than Joe Root. His ability to dismantle attacks in tough conditions, especially in tests, is outstanding. Joe Root's elegance is best shown in his batting; he gets lots of runs too.

Also read:Most 50+ scores in Test history: Sachin Tendulkar leads a legendary list

Rohit Sharma – 49 Hundreds

Rohit Sharma is not a batter—he is an experience. With 49 centuries in international cricket, the Indian captain has turned style into domination. Whether he is dismantling bowling attacks in ODIs or holding the innings in Tests, Rohit's effortless sixes and silky timing provide so much to appreciate as a spectator. Few players flow from one gear to the next like Rohit, and even fewer make batting look so simple.

Kane Williamson – 48 Hundreds

Kane Williamson is the eye of the storm: calm, steady, and in control. Williamson has scored 48 international hundreds and for years has provided a weighty anchor to New Zealand’s batting. He is the guy you would want batting for your life: he has a sound technique, is mentally strong, and is reliable. Behind the cool exterior is a fierce competitor that rises to the occasion when his team needs him the most.

Steve Smith – 48 Hundreds

If cricket has a mad genius, it is Steve Smith. Some would get concerned that theater-school coaches would scratch their heads in disbelief at Smith’s technique, but once again, considering his record, it amounts to little more than performance art. Smith has 48 hundreds in international cricket and is currently counting to add to the near-mythical status of his record in Tests (especially from a batting perspective during the Ashes). Smith does not just score runs: she eats up a bowler, one section at a time.

It was around last year when Middlesex signed the former all-format New Zealand captain, Kane Williamson, for the T20 Blast, the County Championship 2025 season, and the London Spirit in the Hundred 2025. It was a huge overseas signing from the England club, who was looking forward to seeing the veteran right-handed batter pile up runs for the side.

And Williamson delivered during his first County Championship 2025 game at the Merchant Taylor’s School Ground in Northwood against Northamptonshire as he celebrated his maiden century of the competition. It was the full-length delivery that swung back at the batter, who tickled it past the leg side into the square region and rushed back for the second.

Also Read: [WATCH] Dinesh Karthik analyzes Shubham Gill's captaincy approach before ENG vs IND 4th Test in Manchester

The entire crowd stood on their feet as Williamson raised his bat after taking the helmet off. He soaked the pressure and started the usual business again. It was the 44th century in first-class cricket for the 34-year-old, who stayed back in England and avoided the Test matches for the Kiwis against Zimbabwe for the role.

Watch: Kane Williamson notches up maiden County Championship century for Middlesex

It seemed to be a good batting surface where the visiting side took full advantage and batted with full responsibility and attention. Opener Sam Robson smashed a fine half-century on the opening day of the game while his partner, Max Holden, notched up 151 runs in 282 balls. Williamson ended his knock with 114 runs in 159 balls at a strike rate of over 70, with the help of 14 boundaries and one six.

First Rothesay County Championship match for Middlesex, first Middlesex century for Kane Williamson. pic.twitter.com/Z5f79h3aOu

— Rothesay County Championship (@CountyChamp) July 23, 2025

In three balls, Middlesex lost both their set batters as captain Leus de Plooy and Ryan Higgins had started to recover the innings as they had smelt the 400 runs already. The aim would be to reach 500 or beyond.

Williamson, however, will be satisfied with his effort. He has now recorded 14265 runs in FC cricket in 302 innings at an average of over 51 alongside 44 centuries and 65 half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 284 runs. The Tauranga-born last featured in a Test for the Blackcaps in 2024 against the Ben Stokes-led side at Seddon Park in Hamilton.

Kane Williamson recently spoke about how he felt when Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket. Kohli had already stopped playing T20 matches after winning the T20 World Cup 2024. Kane and Kohli are good friends and respect each other. Their friendship is strong, even outside cricket.

India is now playing a tour in England. This is the first time since 2014 that Kohli is not in the team. Kohli retired a few months ago from the format he loved the most. Now that he is not in the Test team, fans and experts are missing him a lot.

Kohli’s retirement was a big surprise for cricket fans. He played 123 Test matches and scored 9230 runs with an average of 46.9. He also made 30 centuries in Test cricket. His last century came in the first match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Also Read -WCL 2025 – England Champions vs Australia Champions: Players battle to Watch Out For

Kane Williamson Talks About Kohli’s Retirement and Friendship

Star New Zealand batter Kane Williamson shared his memories with Virat Kohli, both on and off the field, going back to their Under-19 days. Speaking with The Times of India, the former Black Caps captain said it was amazing to see someone like Kohli retire from Test cricket on his own terms.

Williamson said, “Our careers have followed a similar path from Under-19 cricket to playing and leading our countries. We both became captains around the same time, which felt like a natural journey. Everyone finishes one day.”

He also said, “When such decisions are made, it makes you stop and think. It brings respect and appreciation. Kohli has had many great moments in international cricket, but the bond we share off the field is even more special.”

Williamson added, “All good things come to an end. The way Kohli made the choice that felt right to him was incredible. He walked away on his own terms. Though he has stopped playing Tests, he is still part of one format.”

KANE WILLIAMSON ON VIRAT KOHLI's TEST RETIREMENT. [Sahil Malhotra from TOI]

"All good things come to an end and the way he's been able to make those decisions that feel comfortable to him, I think it's been incredible going out on his terms, etc. Although still involved in one… pic.twitter.com/LM6fHYhoMd

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 19, 2025

Kohli's Retirement and Final Test Series

Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket just before the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 began. This led to rumours that he was forced to retire. But BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla denied those claims and said the board never forces any player to retire.

Kohli’s last Test series was the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25 in Australia. He scored 190 runs, including a century in the first match. India lost the series 1–3, and Australia reached the WTC final.

Williamson on Playing in T20 Leagues

Kane Williamson is now playing in the Vitality T20 Blast in England. He said he enjoys meeting people from different cultures while playing in leagues around the world. According to him, being part of such leagues is one of the best things about being a professional cricketer.

Just before the start of the third day’s play of the third Test between England and India at Lord’s, the eyes, for a short period, was on the former New Zealand Test captain, Kane Willamson, who was practicing outside the ground as he prepares himself for the T20 Blast game and later the County Championship 2025 clashes for Middlesex. 

Williamson, under whom the Blackcaps won their very first ICC WTC trophy, picked the former Indian captain, Virat Kohli as the ‘greatest all-format player’ they had seen for the last 15 years. He described how the right-handed batter had been continuously scoring runs across the three formats and has shouldered the responsibility of the cricket-loving country for such a long time.

See Also: WATCH: Virat Kohli’s heartwarming reply when asked about Anushka Sharma during an event

“Virat (is) probably the greatest all-format player we have seen for the last 15 years. He has his challenges right in an absolutely cricket-obsessed country, and to be at the top of the three. You know, look, there is a good relationship with all of them, in slightly different ways, and we stay in touch in a lot of ways as well. But there is not that competitiveness.” Williamson expressed on Sky Sports Cricket.

WATCH: Kane Williamson picks Virat Kohli as the greatest all-format player

‘It was quite funny, with a full circle, and that’s the other part of that. It’s not only about playing cricket but you also have lived your life in some parallel way for a huge percentage of life. These are the things you experience when you get older a lot, but yeah, these are on different levels.’ The former Kiwi captain looked back at the appearance he had with Kohli a few days ago.

"Probably the greatest all-format player we've seen for the last 15 years" 🙌

Kane Williamson 🤝 Virat Kohli pic.twitter.com/9CyX5InmVt

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 12, 2025

Both these individuals have shared a strong relationship over the years, with a special picture moving around the circle where Kohli put his head on Williamson’s shoulder. The Delhi-born is currently the third leading run-getter in international cricket with 27599 runs in 617 innings at an average of 52.27 and a strike rate of 79.18, thanks to 82 centuries and 143 half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 254 runs.

Kohli, who has already retired from the Tests and T20Is, is expected to return to the ODI format for India through the probable Sri Lanka series, or the upcoming Australia trip in September.

Gloucestershire have secured four victories and currently stand in seventh position in the points table with 16 points. They lost their last match by 22 runs against Surrey.

On the other hand, Middlesex have secured two victories and currently stand in eighth position in the points table. They lost their last match by 3 wickets against Hampshire.

MID vs GLO Match Details

Date: July 11th, 2025

Time:  9:30 PM IST

Venue: Merchant Taylor's School Ground, Northwood

Live Streaming: Fancode  

MID vs GLO Weather Report

Clear weather and a nice evening are expected for the game.

Also Read: GSL T20 2025: DC vs HUR Prediction– Match 3, Who will win today?

Top Batters MID vs GLO

• D’Arcy Short (GLO) - 344 runs in this tournament

• Stephen Eskinazi (MID) - 344 runs in this tournament

• Kane Williamson (MID) - 259 runs in this tournament 

Top Bowler MID vs GLO

• Tom Helm (MID) - 17 wickets in this tournament 

• David Payne (GLO) - 14 wickets in this tournament

• Josh Shaw (GLO) - 13 wickets in this tournament

MID vs GLO Recent Performance

MID vs GLO Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If MID bats first

• First Innings score prediction- MID is expected to score 165-175 runs

• Result prediction- GLO will win the match by 5 Wickets.

Scenario 2- If GLO bats first

• First Innings score prediction- GLO is expected to score 180-190 runs.

• Result prediction- GLO will win the match by 15-25 Runs

MID vs GLO Predicted Playing XI

Middlesex (MID) Playing XI 

Leus du Plooy (c), Ryan Higgins, Joe Cracknell (wk), Stephen Eskinazi, Kane Williamson, Max Holden, Ben Geddes, Luke Hollman, Zafar Gohar, Tom Helm, Noah Cornwell.

Gloucestershire (GLO) Playing XI

D Arcy Short, Miles Hammond, Cameron Bancroft (wk), Oliver Price, Jack Taylor (c), Ben Charlesworth, Graeme van Buuren, David Payne, Matt Taylor, Josh Shaw, Ajeet Dale

MID vs GLO Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

Gloucestershire To win

We predict that Gloucestershire will be winning this English T20 Blast match. The likes of David Payne,  D Arcy Short and Cameron Bancroft will be key players to watch out for.

Hampshire have secured four victories and currently stand in fifth position in the points table with 18 points. They lost their last match by 4 wickets against Somerset.

On the other hand, Middlesex are struggling in this tournament, having won two matches and currently occupying the bottom half positions in the points table. They lost their last match by 9 runs against Gloucestershire.

MID vs HAM Match Details

Date: July 9th, 2025

Time:  9:30 PM IST

Venue: Merchant Taylor's School Ground, Northwood

Live Streaming: Fancode  

MID vs HAM Weather Report

Clear weather and a nice evening are expected for the game.

Also Read: English T20 Blast: SOM vs ESS Prediction– Match 89, Who will win today?

Top Batters MID vs HAM

• James Vince (HAM) - 309 runs in this tournament

• Toby Albert (HAM) - 254 runs in this tournament

• Stephen Eskinazi (MID) - 250 runs in this tournament 

Top Bowler MID vs HAM

• Tom Helm (MID) - 16 wickets in this tournament 

• Scott Currie (HAM) - 15 wickets in this tournament

• Benny Howell (HAM) - 11 wickets in this tournament

MID vs HAM Recent Performance

MID vs HAM Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If MID bats first

• First Innings score prediction- MID is expected to score 155-165 runs

• Result prediction- HAM will win the match by 6 Wickets.

Scenario 2- If HAM bats first

• First Innings score prediction- HAM is expected to score 190- 200 runs.

• Result prediction- HAM will win the match by 25-30 Runs

MID vs HAM  Predicted Playing XI

Middlesex (MID) Playing XI 

Stephen Eskinazi, Kane Williamson, Max Holden, Ben Geddes, Ryan Higgins, Joe Cracknell, Leus du Plooy, Zafar Gohar, Luke Hollman, Joshua Little, Tom Helm.

Hampshire (HAM) Playing XI

Ali Orr, James Vince, Toby Albert, Joe Weatherley, Hilton Cartwright, James Fuller, Liam Dawson, Benny Howell, Chris Wood, Scott Currie, Sonny Baker.

MID vs HAM Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

Hampshire To win

We predict that Hampshire will be winning this English T20 Blast match. The likes of Toby Albert, James Vince and Scott Currie will be key players to watch out for.