Kane Williamson to miss ENG vs NZ World Cup opener: The defending champions, England, will enter the World Cup opener against New Zealand with an edge, as Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson will be absent from the match due to his ongoing knee injury rehabilitation. Williamson will play solely as a batter in today’s (Friday) warm-up game against Pakistan in Hyderabad.
Coach Gary Stead emphasized that the top priority is to provide Williamson with ample time to advance his recovery and regain full match fitness.
“Right from the start we’ve taken a long-term view on Kane’s return to play. His recovery is tracking well and it’s now a matter of making sure he can cope with the rigours and intensity of international cricket. “We’ll continue to take a day-by-day approach to Kane’s rehabilitation and certainly won’t be putting any pressure on him to return before he is ready,” said Stead.
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Kane Williamson’s minimal discomfort in healing joint
In a conversation with the media before departing for India earlier this week, Williamson mentioned that he didn’t feel significant discomfort in the healing joint.
“Not a huge amount, although the load is going to keep increasing so there’s a little bit of an unknown. But it has felt pretty good really in the last few weeks and I’m hoping that it continues to feel like that,” said Kane Williamson.
“The load is going to keep increasing, so there is a little bit of an unknown. But it has felt pretty good really in the last few weeks, hoping it continues to feel like that. But we’re definitely looking to touch on more stuff, [and] introducing myself into the game mode, which is something which we haven’t had the opportunity to do.”
Williamson is making a comeback after being sidelined for six months due to an ACL injury he sustained during the first match of IPL 2023, which required surgery. He dedicated himself to his rehabilitation in English and expressed a strong desire to participate in the World Cup warm-up matches.
Tom Latham to captain New Zealand in Williamson’s absence for World Cup opener
During Williamson’s absence, Tom Latham will take on the role of captain for New Zealand in the World Cup opener against England, scheduled for October 5 in Ahmedabad. Latham will also lead the team in the two warm-up matches, while Williamson’s primary focus is on regaining his fitness in time for New Zealand’s second World Cup match against the Netherlands on October 9.
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