New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson is not a certain starter for all the Super 12 games as his recurrent elbow injury has “flared up a little bit”. Williamson took the field in the warm-up game against England but he did not come out to bat and the coach Gary Stead termed the move as a precautionary measure.
He went on to add that “there’s always that chance” of him missing some games in the world cup and it could be a huge disadvantage for the Blackcaps in the tournament as he is their best batsman on the slower lower surfaces to be used.
It is more than likely that he will be available to lead the side in the first game against Pakistan but the lack of breaks between the next few matches means that he will have to sit out of a few games.
“We're still pretty hopeful and confident that if we get the rest right, initially here now, and get that balance right then he should be right to play. Kane is a prodigious hitter of and balls, he loves to prepare that way as well, and in some ways that's probably the worst thing he can do, is over-hit at times. So it's really getting that balance right, between feeling ready and feeling prepared to go, and making sure we don't aggravate anything,” Stead said.
New Zealand have lost both their warm-up games before the main draw of the tournament but the mood in the camp is very upbeat about their chances. They will open their campaign against Pakistan on October 26 in Sharjah.