New Zealand coach Gary Stead said that Kane Williamson might miss a few games owing to an elbow injury. The New Zealand captain did not bat in the warm-up match versus England on 20th October, following that the coach Stead explained, it was only a precautionary move to avoid hurting his injury. The Kiwi’s Super12 season kicks off on 26 October versus Pakistan.
Stead additionally said that his condition is being closely watched by the media. “Williamson’s absence from the batting crease against England was more precautionary than anything. 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. There’s always that chance of him skipping matches,” Stead.
“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,” he added.
We have to make sure there are no injury concerns: Stead
Stead went on to say that New Zealand is likely to play with 5 bowlers at the T20 World Cup, with 3 pacers and 2 spinners, but that the choice would be made depending on the situation. “We will likely favour the three-seamer/two-spinner bowling attack that we have gone with often of late. We have had that balance for quite a while and I think it’s still the right balance for most of the conditions here as well”.
Stead said this about facing Pakistan in Sharjah in their first match: “We will weigh up what we think around Sharjah in particular and if we think there needs to be anything different there for that first game against Pakistan, but that’s a little way down the track. We will see how guys scrub up tomorrow morning as well to make sure there are no injury concerns.”
In group 2, New Zealand is joined by India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and 2 qualifying sides.
