Xtra Time Web Desk: Gujarat Titans batter Kane Williamson seriously injured his knee trying to save a boundary in the game against Chennai Super Kings in the first game of IPL 2023 at Narendra Modi Stadium. Williamson had to be taken to hospital for scans.
The former New Zealand captain was forced off the field just 13 overs into his Gujarat Titans debut due to a right knee injury. The injury occurred while he was fielding on the deep-square leg boundary, where he had leapt to intercept a ball that was headed for six off Ruturaj Gaikwad’s bat. He managed to save two runs but fell awkwardly with his right knee thudding the ground, seemingly with his whole-body weight on it.
Despite receiving treatment for a few minutes, Williamson could not continue, and Titans brought in a substitute fielder. The extent of his injury is not yet known.
This game marked the former BlackCaps captain’s first outing for Gujarat Titans, his first new IPL team in eight seasons. He had played for Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2015 – 2022, twice leading them in 2018 and 2022.
Williamson was returning to the Motera for the first time since 2013, when he had become New Zealand’s youngest player to hit a century on Test debut.
Before this game, Williamson had recently fully recovered from a long-standing elbow injury that had plagued him over the past two years.