New Zealand ODI captain Kane Williamson is set to miss the ICC Cricket World Cup in India later this year after he injured his knee while fielding in his first Indian Premier League (IPL) match this season.
Williamson ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee, revealed the scans on Tuesday. He will now undergo surgery within the next three weeks once the swelling around the knee is reduced.
Typically, the injury takes around six-month rehabilitation, which means the BlackCaps captain will be in a tight spot ahead of the megaevent in terms of proving his fitness.
“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.”
Williamson had landed awkwardly in the opening match of the tournament between Gujrat Titans and Chennai Super Kings. The injury ruled him out of Gujrat Titans for the entire IPL season this year.
However, the 32-year-old’s absence would be a major blow for his national side. The right-hander has scored more than 6000 ODI runs at an average of 47.83 in 161 ODI matches.
Under his captaincy, New Zealand finished as runner-up in the last edition of the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup in 2019. They lost to England in the epic final that went down to Super Over with the host eventually lifting the trophy on boundary count.
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