The incident occurred during New Zealand's encounter against Bangladesh in Chennai on Friday, October 13, as Williamson was struck by a throw while sprinting between the wickets. 

This incident comes just as Williamson was making a determined comeback following his recent recovery from an ACL injury.

Despite this injury, Williamson will remain an integral part of the New Zealand World Cup squad with hopes of making a triumphant return during the crucial stages of the league phase next month. 

Tom Blundell might replace Kane Williamson in the squad

To provide necessary cover in his absence, Tom Blundell has been called in, although he hasn't officially been named a part of the squad.

New Zealand's head coach, Gary Stead, expressed empathy for Williamson's predicament, saying, "Firstly, we're all feeling for Kane to have this occur after all his hard work to return from his knee injury. While it's disappointing news, the initial diagnosis has given us some optimism that he can still feature later in the pool play following a period of rest and rehabilitation. Kane is clearly a massive part of our side and a world-class player and captain - so we'll look to give him every opportunity we can to return in the tournament."

Blundell's inclusion as a cover player is underpinned by his versatility as a batter and the added advantage of being a backup keeper. 

Stead explained, "Tom's been with the one-day side on tours to Pakistan and Bangladesh and performed well. He covers multiple positions in the batting order, and his wicket-keeping skills are also an added bonus as a back-up."

Adding to the challenges, Henry Nicholls, another potential candidate for the role, was unavailable due to a mild side strain sustained during a Plunket Shield warm-up match earlier in the week.

Despite these obstacles, New Zealand currently leads the points table with a perfect record of three wins in as many games. 

Their resilience and determination will be put to the test as they prepare to face Afghanistan in their next encounter, underscoring their commitment to achieving excellence on the grand stage of the ODI World Cup.

Cover image: The Independent

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