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NZ Head Coach Gary Stead Provides Update on Kane Williamson's Return

image-lniqkm7aKane Williamson is likely to return for New Zealand's game vs Bangladesh 

New Zealand began their World Cup 2023 campaign with a thumping win over defending champions England on the opening day. However, concerns remain regarding the fitness of their captain, Kane Williamson.

Williamson set to return to NZ's playing XI vs Bangladesh

The batting maestro, still recovering from a knee injury, was absent in the opening matches against England and the Netherlands. Williamson's injury occurred while he was on field for the Gujarat Titans during the inaugural match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.

The injury to his right knee, identified as a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, required surgical intervention. The 33-year-old's race to regain fitness for the World Cup saw him missing the first two games.

Despite the lack of official matches since his injury, Williamson displayed commendable form in the practice matches ahead of the World Cup. In the warm-up games against Pakistan and South Africa, he scored 54 and 37 runs respectively. He now has his sights set on rejoining the team for the third game against Bangladesh on October 13.


New Zealand head coach of, Gary Stead expressed optimism about Williamson's participation in the upcoming match. Stead mentioned that while Williamson's batting seems up to the mark, it's his fielding that requires a bit more attention. He conveyed confidence in Williamson's readiness for the third match against Bangladesh.

"Kane's also been progressing very well. I think the fielding is still the element for him that he's just got to get a little bit higher and get a little more trust in his body. We are pretty confident he will be playing the third match,” said Stead.

With an impressive record of 6,554 runs from 161 ODIs at an average of 47.83, Williamson stands as New Zealand's fifth-highest scorer in one-day internationals. 

The 33-year-old played crucial roles in the last two World Cup campaigns, even bagging the Player of the Tournament title in the 2019 edition. New Zealand reached the finals in both the 2015 and 2019 tournaments.