Kane Williamson Likely To Play In Warm-up Games Ahead Of The ODI World Cup 2023

New Zealand are likely to have Kane Williamson in their playing XI for the opening game of the highly-anticipated ICC World Cup 2023. The Black Caps will be in action on the very first day of the ODI World Cup as they will lock horns against reigning champions England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Kane Williamson has not played a competitive game since suffering the knee injury on March 31 during the first match of IPL 2023. There were huge doubts over his participation in the World Cup but the star batsman has recovered sufficiently to make the cut for the marquee event.

And while not many were expecting him to be available for New Zealand from the very beginning of the competition, Kane Williamson has different ideas. Speaking to the media in Christchurch on Wednesday (September 27), the New Zealand skipper revealed that he is likely to play in the warm-up games.

“There is a strong desire to be involved as much as I can,” Kane Williamson said shortly before leaving for India for the ODI World Cup.

“Basically, it’s just wanting to progress what I am doing now – the running, the fielding, time in the middle with the bat,” he added.

Kane Williamson’s update on his knee:

Speaking further, Kane Williamson delivered an update on his knee. The New Zealand skipper admitted that although he is not entirely free of discomfort, he has felt well in recent weeks.

“Not a huge amount. Although 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.

“Although it’s going well, you still have days that vary a little bit. So it’s working through those warm-up games to get as much out of it as I can, and as a team, without bothering it too much,” said Kane Williamson.

New Zealand will be hoping that their talismanic leader recovers fully ahead of the World Cup opener and leads them from the very front. Williamson was a key member of the New Zealand team that finished runners-up in the last two editions of the ODI World Cup and will be desperate to go all the way this year.

New Zealand squad:

Kane Williamson (c), Tom Latham (vc), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young