A decision regarding Tim Southee’s availability for the Cricket World Cup 2023 will be reached next week following his choice to undergo surgery for a dislocated and fractured thumb he sustained during New Zealand’s tour of England. New Zealand Cricket officially confirmed this news after Southee suffered the injury in the final ODI at Lord’s. The 34-year-old’s selection will hinge on the success of the medical procedure.
With several injuries causing concern for the team, coach Gary Stead is optimistic about Southee’s recovery.
“We’re keeping our hopes up that Tim’s surgery will go smoothly,” Stead mentioned.
“He’ll undergo a procedure to insert pins or screws in his right thumb, and assuming it’s a success, we’ll need to ensure Tim can manage the pain and handle the wound when he returns to training and playing.”
New Zealand’s Cricket World Cup campaign kicks off on October 5th in Ahmedabad, and this date serves as a “logical target” for Southee’s potential return, according to Stead.
“Tim is an immensely experienced and vital presence in our team. We want to provide him with every opportunity to be part of this World Cup campaign.”
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In addition to Southee’s injury, New Zealand is dealing with other concerns, including Daryl Mitchell’s minor finger injury, which is not expected to affect the all-rounder. Kane Williamson’s fitness is also a point of consideration, as he recovers from a ruptured ACL in his right knee. Although the ODI captain is part of New Zealand’s Cricket World Cup squad, he has yet to participate in competitive action since the injury.
Currently, New Zealand is in Bangladesh for a three-match ODI series, commencing in Mirpur on Thursday. They have planned Cricket World Cup warm-up matches against Pakistan in Hyderabad on September 29th and South Africa in Trivandrum on October 2nd.