Kane Williamson named as captain as New Zealand reveal 15-member squad for ODI World Cup 2023
Kane Williamson has made the cut and will be captaining New Zealand in India as they announced their World Cup squad on Monday. Williamson was a doubt for the tournament after his ACL injury during IPL 2023.
In Short
- Williamson ruptured his ACL during IPL 2023
- Williamson is set to play in his fourth World Cup
- Young and Ravindra will be appearing in their first World Cup
Kane Williamson has made his recovery in time to be named as the captain for the World Cup as New Zealand announced their squad for the upcoming ICC event in India on Monday.
Williamson has been on a challenging journey to recovery after suffering a significant injury. In April 2023, while playing for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, he ruptured his ACL in his right knee during an awkward landing while attempting to catch a ball at the boundary. This unfortunate incident led to him being sidelined from the game for several months.
Williamson underwent surgery in New Zealand following the injury and embarked on a rigorous rehabilitation process. Despite his efforts, he admitted in an interview that his chances of participating in the ICC World Cup 2023 in India remained uncertain due to the severity of his injury. However, the New Zealand skipper was determined to return to the field and continued his recovery process diligently.
His hard work and perseverance paid off when he was named in the New Zealand World Cup squad. The decision came after he showed sufficient progress in his recovery, proving his fitness for the tournament scheduled to take place from October 5th to November 19th, 2023. This announcement brought immense relief to New Zealand cricket fans, who were eagerly awaiting his return to international cricket.
New Zealand squad for World Cup:
Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (vc,wk), Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee and Will Young.
Williamson will be making his appearance in his fourth World Cup, much like pacer Tim Southee. Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips will be featuring in the ODI World Cup squad for the first time in their careers.
Will Young and Rachin Ravindra will also be making their first appearance in a World Cup squad as well.