ICC World Cup: NZ Skipper Kane Williamson To Play Warm-Up Matches After Long Injury Layoff

He had surgery back in April and since then he has been going through an intense rehab process.

Kane Williamson in action.

Source : Getty

Kane Williamson who is the skipper of the New Zealand team is set to make his comeback after a long injury layoff in his team’s World Cup warm-up matches which is scheduled to take place in India this week. Kane has not taken part in competitive cricket since March when he sustained an ACL injury in his right knee while playing for Gujarat Titans in the IPL. He had surgery back in April and since then he has been going through an intense rehab process.

New Zealand will play England in the tournament opener in Ahmedabad on October 5.

"The plan is to be involved in the warm-up games. There is a strong desire to be involved as much as I can," Williamson said ahead of the team's departure to India.

"Basically, it's just wanting to progress what I am doing now – the running, the fielding, time in the middle with the bat." 

The Blackcaps will play against Pakistan and South Africa in the World Cup warm-up matches on September 29 in Hyderabad and October 2 in Thiruvananthapuram respectively.

"Although the load is going to keep increasing, so there is a little bit of an unknown. But it has felt pretty good really in the last few weeks."

"Although it's going well, you still have days that vary a little bit. So it's working through those warm-up games to get as much out of it as I can, and as a team, without bothering it too much," he added.

"Not so much the sprinting, more the slowing actually. From sprinting, the braking, a little bit of a change of direction. It's all been part of the plan, and introducing it towards the end of recovery."

Williamson played a vital role in the 2015 and 2019 editions of the World Cup for New Zealand. The Kiwis will be hopeful that Kane to do well this time too.