New Zealand’s ODI captain Kane Williamson is set to miss this year’s ICC World Cup after scans confirmed he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) fielding in the Indian Premier League.
The decorated 32-year-old batsman underwent scans on Tuesday having sustained the injury to his right knee fielding in the Gujarat Titans’ season opener against the Chennai Super Kings on Friday.
Williamson, who returned to New Zealand following the incident, will likely miss the World Cup in India in October and November given the significant rehabilitation timeframe for an ACL injury.
“I look forward to doing what I can to support [New Zealand coach] Gary [Stead] and the team over the next few months,” Williamson said in a New Zealand Cricket statement.
“Naturally it’s disappointing to get such an injury, but my focus now is on having the surgery and starting rehab.
“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 averages 47.83 across 161 ODIs with 13 centuries and 42 half-centuries, with his absence at the World Cup to be a major blow for the Black Caps. Tom Latham is the leading candidate to take over as captain at the World Cup.
“You take Kane the player for a start, but then Kane the leader and the person he is within our group as well, it’s a huge spanner in the works for us,” Stead said.
“We haven’t given up hope that he might be right but at this stage it does look unlikely. Our first thoughts are with Kane at the moment, it’s a tough time for him, it’s not an injury you expect…it hits you pretty hard.”
New Zealand were beaten in the 2019 World Cup final by England in a dramatic super over on the boundary count back rule. Williamson was named Player of the Tournament in 2019, making 578 runs in 10 games.