Kane Williamson will not play in the opening match against England

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has officially announced that their regular captain Kane Williamson will not take the field in the opening match of the ODI World Cup 2023. It is noteworthy that Blackcaps have to face defending champion England in the tournament on October 5.

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Williamson has been rested in the opening match to give him the time. He needs to recover from a painful knee injury. He suffered while playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 earlier this year.

Kane Williamson’s fitness update

NZC in its official statement not only informed about Williamson’s unavailability but also gave an update on his fitness, saying that he has not yet fully recovered from the knee injury and is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

“Blackcaps captain Kane Williamson will miss the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup against England as he continues to rehabilitate his knee,” NZC said.

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The way forward for Williamson

Although Williamson may be absent from the opening game, fans can take solace from the fact that he will feature as a batsman in the warm-up match against Pakistan in Hyderabad on September 29. The move allows them to get some valuable match practice without having to put in much effort. she herself. Meanwhile, Tom Latham will take over the captaincy role for the Blackcaps during their first practice match in Williamson’s absence.