ICC World Cup 2023: 'Fit-again' Kane Williamson returns to captain New Zealand

Kane Williamson (Pic: AFP)

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson on Thursday said he was 'excited' at the prospect of facing Bangladesh in the ICC World Cup 2023 group game in Chennai on Friday after a long injury layoff.

The skipper injured his knee while playing in the Indian Premier League at the end of March but is now ready for action in India. New Zealand have won their opening two matches in India in Williamson's absence.

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"It's been quite a journey but largely a good one that's had some really good progress and you know I've said a number of times, really excited to be named in the World Cup squad, be sitting here now and really excited at the prospect of tomorrow," he said on Thursday.

"A new venue, new opposition, as we know, which always happens in world events. And we're looking forward to the challenge." Williamson, 33, has scored 6,554 runs in one-day international cricket at an impressive average of nearly 48. He was captain of the New Zealand team that narrowly lost the 2019 World Cup final to England.

Williamson was on the verge of missing the tournament at one point. However, he said that he was not bothered by it or rushing for a return, and instead focused on his rehab.

"It was probably a good thing just to get my head stuck into rehab and each day and not sort of rush it, and that was really my focus, and I was fortunate as well.

"I had a really, really good team around me back home and also fortunate not to have a lot of setbacks during that time.

"So there were lots of little steps forward which I guess accumulate to being here now really and getting close and realising that if each week does keep progressing well, ticking off all those sorts of milestones along the way, which there are many of them, then there might be a chance.

"And yeah, grateful that that was something that could be done and getting named in the squad was a really exciting moment."

Williamson also had an elbow niggle during the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup in Dubai.

On being asked about the nature of both injuries, he said, "Quite different injuries, but yeah, I suppose speaking about this one there were lots of quite clear steps along the way that you were trying to tick off different milestones in terms of returning to the next phases and those sorts of things."

(With inputs from agencies)