Last Updated on 2 years by Charbel Coorey
Cricket News: Kane Williamson to miss ODI World Cup 2023, set to undergo ACL surgery | Will Kane Williamson play the ODI World Cup?
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee whilst fielding in the Gujarat Titans’ (GT) first game of the current Indian Premier League (IPL) season against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
The injury rules him out of contention of participating in the One Day International (ODI) World Cup scheduled to be held in India in October-November this year. It is a massive blow for New Zealand as Williamson had led the Kiwis to the finals in the previous edition of the competition in 2019.
“I’ll be doing everything I can to get back on the field as soon as possible” – Williamson
Williamson will undergo a surgery once in the next three weeks once the swelling around his knee reduces. He is back in New Zealand now. “Naturally it’s disappointing to get such an injury, but my focus now is on having the surgery and starting rehab. It’s going to take some time, but I’ll be doing everything I can to get back on the field as soon as possible,” Williamson was quoted in a report by ESPNcricinfo.
Tom Latham is almost certain to take over the leadership mantle from Williamson for the foreseeable future, possibly even in the World Cup. The southpaw had captained the Kiwis during their tour to India earlier this year.
“We haven’t given up hope that he might be right but at this stage it does look unlikely. Our first thoughts are with Kane at the moment, it’s a tough time for him, it’s not an injury you expect. It hits you pretty hard,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead mentioned in a report by the aforementioned website.
Williamson will be a big miss for the Kiwis in the tournament, considering that he averages 56.94 with two centuries and three half-centuries in 22 innings in the ODI World Cups. He has had a key role to play in the team’s runners-up finishes in the previous two editions of the tournament.
How will New Zealand cope without Williamson in the World Cup in India? Let us know by tweeting @cric_blog.
