After leaving the game during his team's 21-run victory in Hamilton on Sunday due to a hamstring injury, Kane Williamson is unlikely to play in the next three games of New Zealand's ongoing Twenty20 International series against Pakistan.
Williamson was scheduled to have a scan on Monday after returning home by plane to Tauranga. He was expected to miss the series' third game on Wednesday in Dunedin, but he is questionable for the last two contests. With a 2-0 lead in the series, New Zealand is giving their next two-Test series against South Africa priority. That series begins on February 3.
After experiencing right hamstring tightness on Sunday, he was declared injured after 26 off 15 balls. "It's the same leg as what his knee injury was on," New Zealand coach Gary Stead stated on Monday morning, alluding to Williamson's anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture that kept him out of action for six months previously. "He left for his home in Tauranga. Today, he will have a scan.
At this point, I don't have any more updates unless I learn more about the scan. For this part of the series, Will Young was going to be on the team regardless. Kane was not coming along. I believe that Will will probably stay on, but we won't be able to decide anything more until we receive the scan results from Kane
When asked if Williamson would play in the next two Twenty20 internationals, Stead responded, "I don't think he will." Since the Test matches are so close together and the short term is likely more important to us than the long term, I believe we'll try to make sure he's suitable for that.
Although he hasn't played in this series yet, Stead stated that Tim Seifert will "probably" replace Williamson in the starting lineup and take Devon Conway's gloves. "Without Kane, it will be a different test. I believe he consistently gives your batting that stability. That will probably present an opportunity for Tim Seifert to come in and show what he can still do, and fill in those shoes that Kane's probably left for the rest of the series."
Stead also affirmed that Trent Boult, who hasn't participated in a Twenty20 international since the 2022 World Cup semifinal, is still a part of New Zealand's plans for the Caribbean and the United States in 2024. Boult does not hold a central contract and is due to play in the upcoming ILT20 for MI Emirates, an affiliate of Mumbai Indians.
Following the ILT20, New Zealand is scheduled to play three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against Australia from February 21–25. Stead stated that Boult's availability is uncertain. "We've made a few attempts to catch up, but we haven't been successful. Later on, we'll figure that out. At that point, I'm not sure what his obligations are, so I still have to figure it out."
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