New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has sustained a left thumb injury, prompting him to retire hurt as a precaution during the Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2023 clash against Bangladesh. Williamson, who recently made a comeback after a prolonged injury, was hit on the thumb by a delivery during the 38th over of the match, bowled by Taskin Ahmed. His night came to an end with an impressive score of 78.
The incident unfolded at the Chennai stadium, and Glenn Phillips was called in to replace Williamson in the middle.
ALSO READ
“Kane Williamson (78*) has been retired hurt as a precaution after being hit on his left thumb while running between the wickets. Phillips has joined Mitchell in the middle in Chennai,” the official Blackcaps Twitter account announced.
Williamson received immediate on-field treatment for his thumb injury but ultimately decided to walk back to the pavilion. After the match, he provided an update on his condition, saying, “Just got a bit fat and colourful straight away so got a scan tomorrow, but hopefully, it’s okay. [On the knee] it’s okay, glad to get through the game from a knee perspective, but from a team perspective, it was great as well.”
This match marked Williamson’s return to competitive cricket after suffering an injury during the opening clash of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 between the Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings.
In this crucial CWC encounter, Williamson, batting at his usual No.3 position, formed a dynamic left-hand, right-hand partnership with Devon Conway. The pair made a solid start during the powerplay, unsettling Bangladesh’s bowling attack with smart strike rotation.
By the end of the powerplay, New Zealand had posted 37/1 on the scoreboard. The Kiwis then accelerated their scoring, amassing 55 runs in the subsequent 10 overs. Conway’s dismissal in the 21st over, bowled by Shakib Al Hasan, provided Bangladesh with their breakthrough.
However, this turned out to be the final wicket of the night, as Williamson, along with Daryl Mitchell, took control of the match. Unfortunately, Williamson’s injury halted his innings at 78.
Glenn Phillips and Mitchell carried on the charge for New Zealand, with Phillips scoring an unbeaten 16* and Mitchell ending the game with an impressive 89* not out. Their partnership secured a comfortable 8-wicket victory for the Kiwis.
Get every cricket update! Follow us on
