New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson expressed his satisfaction after scoring a half-century and was pleased with the opportunity to get some batting practice against Pakistan in a 2023 World Cup warm-up match in Hyderabad.
The Black Caps captain has returned to the team for the game against Pakistan after fighting a knee injury he suffered at the IPL earlier this year. The 33-year-old will lead the New Zealand side in the second consecutive 50-over World Cup after leading them to the finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup in England.
Speaking to the broadcasters after their win over Pakistan, Williamson expressed his delight in having the opportunity to bat again as he had been out of action due to a knee injury since March of this year. He emphasized that he never imagined that he would be playing in the ODI World Cup five months ago.
“Just great to get through some batting out in the middle. It was nice to get some off the middle of the bat. Still some icing after it but it is a part of the process. It wasn’t a reality five months ago but to be named in the squad was exciting. Was really looking forward to getting out there tonight and was really nice to get on the field,” Kane Williamson said.
The return of Kane Williamson could be a big boost to the team. He has ample experience playing in Indian conditions and can keep the Black Caps’ innings steady in the middle overs and could be crucial for the team’s chances in the World Cup.
We Will Look To Get Our Preparations Right Before Our World Cup Opener – Kane Williamson
Kane Williamson said that Pakistan is a strong team in the ODI World Cup and also expressed his satisfaction with his own team’s victory. According to him, the pitch was good for batting and they will now shift their focus towards their upcoming warm-up match against South Africa.
“A fantastic day out. Obviously, Pakistan is a good side and both sides looked to get their plans right. As a bowling unit and batting unit, it was quite pleasing to finish on the winning side.”
“It was a good batting surface. We head into our next game. It will be a different surface and a different opposition. We will look to get our preparations right before our World Cup opener,” Kane Williamson added.
After completing his half-century in the 18th over, Williamson retired and gave other New Zealand batters a chance to play and it is reported that the New Zealand skipper might not start against defending champions England, as he did not take the field for the entire 50 overs in the game against Pakistan.
