Kane Williamson is set to miss the upcoming ODI World Cup scheduled to be played in India later this year. After being injured in his first IPL match of this for Gujarat Giants, the scans revealed a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Now he will undergo surgery within the next three weeks.
In the match against Chennai Super Kings, Williamson was seen attempting a catch at the deep square leg boundary in the 13th over of the CSK innings. He landed on his right knee buckling under his weight and despite being able to manage a couple of runs, ended up injuring himself. He was visibly in pain and was certain to miss the IPL 2023.
Williamson who returned to New Zealand where the severity of the injury was concerned, said, “Naturally it’s disappointing to get such an injury, but my focus now is on having the surgery and starting rehab,” he said. “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.”
However, his unavailability will hurt New Zealand as the captain is a major support for them with an average of 47.83 across 161 ODIs with 13 hundreds. Williamson captained New Zealand to the 2019 World Cup final, where they eventually lost against England in the final on the basis of a boundary count.
“You take Kane the player for a start, but then Kane the leader and the person he is within our group as well, it’s a huge spanner in the works for us,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said. “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.”
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