While the hosts New Zealand are playing the fifth and final game of the five-match T20I series against India at Bay Oval (Mount Maunganui), the Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson is again missing the squad. During the toss, the stand-in captain Tim Southee talked about the current status of his captain’s fitness.
Just before the toss during the previous T20I at Wellington, the Kiwi side revealed that Kane Williamson would miss out that game due the left-shoulder injury (AC joint). The New Zealand captain received that injury while diving in the Hamilton T20I. The team was expecting him for the Mount Maunganui T20I, but he again missed out the match.
Captain Kane Williamson has been ruled out of tonight’s 4th T20I with a left-shoulder injury (AC joint) sustained while diving in the field in game 3. He will hopefully be available for the final game of the series at Bay Oval. Tim Southee will captain the side in T20I 4. #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/0Igj6RMnzg
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 31, 2020
During the toss in this Mount Maunganui T20I, New Zealand stand-in captain Tim Southee claimed that Williamson was still feeling a bit of discomfort during throwdowns. However, he is hopeful to see his captain in the upcoming home ODI series against India, starting on 5th February.
Southee said at the toss, “Kane was a late change, he still felt a bit of discomfort after a few throwdowns and hopefully he’ll be fit for the one-dayers.”
Kane Williamson missed out 75% T20Is in 2019
In the last year (2019), New Zealand played 12 T20Is, and Tim Southee led the Kiwi team in nine T20Is. Kane Williamson only featured during the three-match home T20I series against India in February 2019.
Coming back to the present days, after this five-match T20I series, New Zealand and India will play the three-match ODI series. They will play the ODIs at Seddon Park (Hamilton), Eden Park (Auckland) and Bay Oval (Mount Maunganui) on 5th, 8th and 11th February respectively.
Later, they will also play two Tests between 21st February and 4th March 2020. Basin Reserve (Wellington) and Hagley Oval (Christchurch) will host these Test matches.
Meanwhile, at the Mount Maunganui T20I, the Indian stand-in captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided to bat first. The visitors are already leading the five-match T20I series by 4-0.