New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson is likely to make his return in this clash against the Proteas. He suffered a thumb fracture during their clash with Bangladesh.
New Delhi: New Zealand will take on South Africa in match 32 of the ongoing edition of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, on November 1. Kane Williamson is likely to make his return in this clash against the Proteas. The Black Caps skipper suffered a thumb fracture during their clash with Bangladesh.
As per a report from NewSports Hub, Williamson has recovered well and has been doing a lot in practice and might be joining the team back for the upcoming clash. New Zealand are coming off two consecutive losses against India and Australia.
“It was just low-level intensity, but he will train tomorrow [Monday] and the next day, with a view to potentially being available for this game. That will depend just how he comes through in the next couple of days,” said New Zealand Coach Gary Stead.
There has been an injury scare in the New Zealand camp, pacer Lockie Ferguson also suffered a right Achilles injury in the match against Australia at the HPCA cricket stadium, on Saturday. Meanwhile, Mark Chapman got himself a calf niggle during the practice. Stead ruled both of them out of the upcoming clash.
“[Ferguson] has woken up feeling a little bit better than certainly what he has, but he will be getting a scan tomorrow morning here in Pune.”
“We’re hopeful it’s maybe something about just a week in terms of return to play. It’s something that he’s had in the past its niggled away, but this has just flared up again at perhaps a bad time for him. We’re unsure at this stage whether he will play in the next game or be available, but he’s progressed well and he’s not far away from being selectable again,” he added.
New Zealand have been a consistent side in ODI World Cups, entering the semi-final in 2011 before becoming runners-up in 2015 and 2019 editions. That’s not all – New Zealand also won the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021, apart from being runners-up in 2021 T20 World Cup and semi-finalists in next year’s tournament.