T20 World Cup: Kane Williamson provides injury update

Ahead of his side's opening clash against Pakistan in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup on Tuesday, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson provided an update on his fitness, suggesting his injury was 'an ongoing battle'.

Williamson has had to deal with an elbow injury for a few years now, one which has tended to hamper him from time-to-time. According to a report on NZ Herald, Williamson stated he needed to manage the injury throughout the tournament. The Kiwis' skipper said that was the reason behind him not batting against England during the side's second warmup fixture.

"It's just been an ongoing battle really, on the whole it's shown improvement but every now and again it seems to be a bit more bothersome. It is feeling a bit better now and I think these tendon issues are often a loading problem, so there is a bit of a delicate balance to strike. It flared up a little after the Australian game, and I just tried to manage the load after that, so it meant not batting in the England game", said Williamson.

With a packed schedule ahead that includes a tour of India before the home summer kicks off, Williamson further acknowledged that surgery wasn't an immediate option. He said:

"It has shown signs of improvement which is promising, it's just a tough balance to strike – you're always keen to get out on the field and play, and part of playing is preparing, and then it's having those conversations with the physio around how that all looks and trying to be smart with that. The medical staff I've spoken to are fully aware and educate me on the fact that it is a bit of a long-term solution. There's no quick fix."

It may also be noted that Williamson sat out of Sunrisers Hyderabad's last league game in the IPL against Mumbai Indians on October 8. That was due to a niggle in his elbow, with Indian middle-order batter Manish Pandey taking his place as skipper.

New Zealand take on Pakistan in their T20 World Cup opener

Tuesday (October 26) will see Kane Williamson's Blackcaps side take the field against Pakistan in Sharjah as they kickstart their campaign at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. New Zealand lost both their warmup fixtures. First to Australia while defending a sub-par total, and then to England while chasing a big score. They haven't really had the perfect preparation heading into this fixture.

They will be up against a Pakistan side high on momentum and confidence. The men in green defeated their arch-rivals India by 10 wickets in Dubai a couple of nights ago, a first such occurrence across international cricket World Cups.

There is a lot of discontent among the ranks of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). That is owing to New Zealand's abrupt withdrawal from their tour of Pakistan last month. That context heading into tonight's clash certainly makes for a feisty game.