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Kane Williamson, the former captain of the New Zealand Test team, has said that his chances of taking part in the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 in India are “slim.” The 33-year-old, who led the Kiwis to their second consecutive final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2019, has been out of competitive cricket, since he suffered a horrible anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during the IPL 2023 opener for Gujarat Titans against Chennai Super Kings in March of this year.
After undergoing surgery in his right knee in early April, Kane Williamson has been on a slow but steady road to recovery. On August 1, he posted a video on social media, where he was seen batting in the nets in front of throwdowns, but he has yet to face bowlers in the nets.
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One of the best cricketers of his generation is going to join the New Zealand team for their limited overs tour to England later this month, to continue his recovery process. These two teams will play each other in four T20Is, followed by four ODIs, before arriving on Indian shores to participate in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
During his chat with the reporters at the Bay Oval, Kane Williamson talked about his potential comeback to international cricket with regards to his fitness, while referencing the quadrennial spectacle. He said, “To be at the World Cup is always special. It's still just guesswork at the moment in terms of when the day is or how it's tracking at the time.”
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“There's a lot of work to do. I am just really following the programme, with the professionals for physio, the support staff and New Zealand Cricket. And it's tough, because you do have some good days, and then you have a few variable ones,” remarked the 34-year-old.
When Kane Williamson was asked about his chances of recovery for the ODI World Cup 2023, he said, “Yeah, obviously slim, and still, you know, a tough goal. However, something like that (World Cup) in the back of your mind is obviously motivating and you want to keep seeing those improvements.”
