New Zealand Captain Kane Williamson Fractures Thumb, Could Miss Part of World Cup

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has fractured his thumb and could miss part of the Cricket World Cup, the team announced on Saturday.

Williamson was hit on the thumb while running through for a single in Friday’s victory over Bangladesh. An X-ray revealed an undisplaced fracture, which means the bone is not broken in two pieces.

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Williamson had returned from seven months out with a knee injury and scored 78 in the eight-wicket win. He is now aiming to be available for the final pool matches next month.

“While it’s disappointing news, the initial diagnosis has given us some optimism he can still feature later in the pool play following a period of rest and rehabilitation,” coach Gary Stead said.

“Kane is clearly a massive part of our side and a world-class player and captain, so we’ll look to give him every opportunity we can to return in the tournament,” he added.

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Tom Blundell will travel to India as backup for Williamson. New Zealand will next play Afghanistan in Chennai on Wednesday. Williamson’s injury is a blow to New Zealand, who are one of the favorites to win the World Cup. He is a key player with bat and his leadership will be missed.

However, the team has a number of experienced players who can step up in his absence. Tom Latham will likely take over again as a captain, while Blundell will fill Williamson’s spot in the batting lineup if needed.

New Zealand will be hoping that Williamson can make a full recovery and return to the team later in the tournament. However, they are prepared to play without him if necessary.