New Zealand’s stand-in captain, Tom Latham, has officially confirmed that veteran fast-bowler Tim Southee will not be part of the team’s lineup for their opening match in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Southee’s absence is due to his ongoing recovery from a thumb injury.
Southee sustained a dislocated and fractured right thumb while taking a catch during an ODI match against the current World Cup champions, England, on September 15. He underwent surgery, during which a plate and screws were inserted into his thumb to expedite his recovery. While Southee is making progress, he will miss the opening game but aims to join New Zealand’s campaign at a later stage.
In addition to Tim Southee, regular captain Kane Williamson was previously ruled out of New Zealand’s first match in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup against defending champions England. Williamson’s absence is due to his careful rehabilitation following an ACL rupture in his right knee, which occurred in March of this year. He participated in the team’s first warm-up game as a batter and fielded during the second warm-up match.
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Latham provided an update on Southee’s condition during a pre-match press conference, stating, “No Kane and no Tim as well. He’s (Southee) unavailable for selection just in terms of what happened to his thumb a couple of weeks ago, but he’s recovering nicely. He’s nearly two weeks post-surgery, so fingers crossed he can keep recovering. It’s a bit of a day-by-day process with him in terms of what that looks like too. But fingers crossed he’ll be available sooner rather than later as well.”
As New Zealand enters the tournament, they are considered underdogs, a tag they have embraced on numerous occasions in global events. Latham emphasized that the team is focused on their brand of cricket and excelling in the league stage to secure a spot in the later stages of the competition.
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Latham acknowledged the importance of adaptability while playing in India, given the varying conditions and opposition teams. He mentioned, “So, we’ll have to wait and see what conditions are going to be like. I’m sure throughout the tournament that they will change. They might change from the day time to evening time. It’s just about trying to be adaptable to conditions and also adaptable to each team that we come up against.”
“For us, it’s about trying to play our brand of cricket as best we can. We’ve got a mix of experience and a mix of youth. We’ve got some guys playing in their fourth World Cup, some guys playing in their first. So, for us, it’s about trying to play our brand of cricket as best we can, and if we can do that, then hopefully, we give ourselves a good chance at the back end of the tournament.”
New Zealand will commence their Men’s ODI World Cup campaign against England on October 7, hoping to make a strong start despite the absence of key players.
-IANS
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