Kane Williamson, New Zealand’s veteran batter, is likely to miss this year’s ICC Men’s World Cup after undergoing knee surgery.
Williamson suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture while playing for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL), according to scans released on Tuesday. Williamson is in a race against time to demonstrate his readiness for the competition, given that the typical recovery time for the injury is six months.
“Due to the standard rehabilitation timelines, Williamson is now unlikely to be fit and available for selection at this year’s ICC ODI Cricket World Cup in India,” New Zealand Cricket said in a statement.
Williamson acknowledged the support of both his IPL team and New Zealand Cricket, but vowed to do everything in his power to play in India come October.
In an official statement released by New Zealand Cricket, Williamson said that “I’ve received great support over the past few days and want to thank both the Gujarat Titans and New Zealand Cricket for that.”
“Naturally it’s disappointing to get such an injury, but my focus now is on having the surgery and starting rehab. It’s going to take some time, but I’ll be doing everything I can to get back on the field as soon as possible,” he added.