Kane Williamson will not play in the World Cup opener for New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

Kane Williamson, the captain of New Zealand, is still recovering from the ACL tear he sustained during the IPL. The 33-year-old hasn’t played in a competitive match since, and his participation in the 2018 ODI World Cup was in question. But because of his intense training and long recovery period, the cricketer was able to compete in the event.

Kane Williamson will likely miss New Zealand’s opening match against England on October 5 at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, however, given the current situation.

He will bat in two of the exhibition matches against Pakistan and South Africa, but he isn’t healthy enough to play 50 overs of defense. The strategy, according to head coach Gary Stead, is still the same, and they continue to daily monitor Kane’s progress. The player is not under any strain, he continued, and it is anticipated that he will soon return to full condition.

“We have approached Kane’s return to play with a long-term perspective from the beginning. His recuperation is going well, and the next step is to make sure he can handle the pressure and rigors of playing international cricket. We’ll continue to treat Kane’s recovery on a day-by-day basis, and we won’t pressure him to play until he’s ready, Stead was cited as saying by the New Zealand Herald.

Tim Southee‘s injury hasn’t been updated in the interim. The talented pacer almost avoided missing the competition due to a finger injury by joining the squad at the very last second. The cricketer may not miss the first few games, but New Zealand Cricket hasn’t provided many specifics on his recovery.

Kyle Jamieson, on the other hand, has been dispatched in case Southee or any of the pacers must withdraw at the last minute. Overall, it is anticipated that the Black Caps will give it their all to win the first-ever ODI World Cup, especially after coming in second place in their previous two efforts.