Xtra Time Web Desk: In what comes as a major setback for New Zealand, cricket team, they will be without captain Kane Williamson for this year’s ODI World Cup after it was revealed the star batter had suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and was headed for surgery.
Williamson, who was making his debut for Gujarat Titans, sustained the knee injury in the IPL 2023 season-opener on Saturday while trying to take a catch on the boundary. After laying on the ground in agony, then soon later being carried off the park, he was on Sunday ruled out of the rest of the IPL campaign by his Titans side.
New Zealand Cricket released a video interview of coach Gary Stead which states, “Unfortunately for Kane, he has ruptured his ACL in his right knee.”
With six months until the start of the World Cup – which runs from October 5 to November 19 – and ACL’s typically taking a six-to-nine-month rehabilitation period, Williamson, who is set to undergo surgery in the next two to three weeks, is unlikely to be fit for selection for the this year’s event in India.
In a statement, the 32-year-old sent a message of thanks for the support he had received since the injury, and vowed to still help the team in whatever capacity he could.
“I’ve received great support over the past few days and want to thank both the Gujarat Titans and New Zealand Cricket for that,” he said.
Williamson has played 161 ODIs has scored the fourth-most runs for New Zealand (6554), as well as the fourth-most centuries (12), has a princely average of 47.83 and will be irreplaceable at No 3.