The International Cricket Council has listed Kane Williamson, the captain of New Zealand, as unlikely to participate in the upcoming super tournament in 2023.
The news of the situation was released shortly after the veteran returned to New Zealand from the IPL for an injury evaluation. He had previously suffered a knee injury while playing in the opening game of the Indian Premier League 2023 between the Gujarat Titans and his most recent team, the Chennai Super Kings.
In the 13th over of the first inning, Kane Williamson, who was positioned close to the ropes, made a heroic attempt to rescue a six from Ruturaj Gaikwad. He was successful in doing so, saving two runs for the club after turning it into a four. Nevertheless, in the process, he fell awkwardly, locking his knee on the ground with his entire body weight on top of it.
Kane Williamson’s right anterior cruciate ligament was recently discovered to be torn, and he will likely need surgery in around three weeks once the swelling goes down. This makes it very unlikely that he will play in the 2018 World Cup, which will seriously hamper New Zealand’s World Cup preparations. Williamson, who has played in 161 ODIs, averages 47.83, making him one of New Zealand’s most valuable players.
Williamson responded to the injury by saying that his emphasis would be on finishing the surgery and then beginning the recovery process to return to the field as soon as possible.
“Naturally, getting into such an accident is disheartening, but at this time, my attention is on the injury itself and beginning the recovery process. Although it will take some time, I will make every effort to return to the field as soon as possible, “Wilson remarked.
Although it seems implausible at this point, the New Zealand coach maintains they haven’t given up hope.
In response to the situation, New Zealand coach Gary Stead stated that Kane Williamson’s absence would require a lot of work from the management to reassess the roles and restructure the team before the competition. In addition, he noted that, while they hadn’t given up yet, it was improbable that Williamson would recover in time for the World Cup.
“That throws a tremendous wrench in the works for us when you consider Kane the player as well as Knae the leader and the person he is within our group. Even though it seems doubtful right now, we haven’t given up on the possibility that he might be wrong. Our first thoughts are currently with Kane, who is going through a difficult period due to an unexpected injury that hits you hard. According to a statement made by Stead, ESPN Cricinfo.
In Williamson’s absence, Tom Latham will likely captain New Zealand in the 2018 World Cup, which is expected to start on October 5.