ODI World Cup 2023: Kane Williamson to miss New Zealand's tournament opener against England

New Zealand’s captain, Kane Williamson, will be absent from the opening match of the 2023 ODI World Cup against England due to his ongoing recovery from knee surgery. In New Zealand’s warm-up encounter against Pakistan in Hyderabad on Friday, Williamson will participate solely as a specialist batsman. The plan is for him to both field and bat in their subsequent warm-up game against South Africa in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.

“We have always taken a long-term perspective on Kane’s return to playing,” stated New Zealand’s head coach, Gary Stead. “His recovery is progressing well, and the focus now is on ensuring he can handle the demands and intensity of international cricket. We will continue to approach Kane’s rehabilitation day by day and will certainly not rush his return.”

Read More: ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Schedule

Williamson is making a comeback after a six-month hiatus following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture during the IPL 2023’s opening match, which necessitated surgery. He continued his rehabilitation alongside the national team in England and expressed a desire to participate in the World Cup warm-up games.

He remarked before the team’s departure to India, “I’m focused on progressing with what I’m currently doing – running, fielding, and spending time in the middle with the bat. The workload will increase, and there’s an element of uncertainty, but it has felt pretty positive in recent weeks. We hope it continues to feel that way, but we’re definitely looking to incorporate more aspects, getting back into game mode, which we haven’t had the opportunity to do.”

In Williamson’s absence, Tom Latham will lead New Zealand in the World Cup opener against England on October 5 in Ahmedabad. Latham will also captain in the two warm-up matches, while Williamson’s primary goal is to regain fitness in time for New Zealand’s second World Cup encounter against the Netherlands on October 9.