New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson is ruled out of the to play in the crucial match against South Africa. He sustained an injury during the match against Bangladesh and was unable to recover in time for the game. The 33-year-old has missed the last three matches against Afghanistan, India, and Australia due to a fractured thumb.
Kane Williamson entered the World Cup having recovered from a knee injury he had during the 2023 Indian Premier League while playing for the Gujarat Titans. The 33-year-old missed out on New Zealand’s opening two World Cup matches against the Netherlands and England made a spectacular comeback against Bangladesh with a 78-run knock but was hit on the glove during their game against Bangla Tigers.
Kane Williamson has been ruled out of Wednesday’s match against @ProteasMenCSA.
Williamson has batted in the nets the last two days but has been ruled out of a return to match action tomorrow.
He will be assessed again ahead of the side’s next match against @TheRealPCB. #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/c8TIJRe7cT
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 31, 2023
“Kane Williamson has been ruled out of Wednesday’s match against @ProteasMenCSA. Williamson has batted in the nets the last two days but has been ruled out of a return to match action tomorrow. He will be assessed again ahead of the side’s next match against @TheRealPCB. #CWC23″
Meanwhile, Lockie Ferguson also sustained injuries throughout New Zealand’s ODI World Cup campaign. Ferguson bowled just three overs in the match against Australia before being dragged from the field. The severity of his injuries prevented him from playing the rest of the game on the field and likely to miss out on the game against South Africa.
Kane Williamson is one of the game’s best players in the game, who made his international debut for New Zealand in 2010. He has amassed more runs than the majority of the current players at the international level, including 40 centuries, putting him on par with the best in the business. The New Zealand skipper is known for his calmness on the field and could be a crucial miss in the match against Proteas.
After making it to two tournament finals, New Zealand was determined to use their run to earn another early playoff spot. The Kiwis’ most recent match ended in a narrow five-run loss to Australia. Even though Rachin Ravindra scored an amazing 116 runs during the game, it was not enough to win.
South Africa has proven themselves on Indian soil during their World Cup campaign, crushing some of the best teams. Temba Bavuma-led side is on the verge of making it to the postseason after just one loss. They will aim to continue their recent winning streak when they play New Zealand.