Kane Williamson likely to miss last three T20Is vs Pakistan

Kane Williamson made his comeback to the T20I format last week with the five-match series against Pakistan. Injuries kept him away from the major part of the last year and yet again, his 2024 has started in the worst possible way as New Zealand's white-ball skipper is injured yet again. He walked off the field while batting retired hurt after scoring 26 runs off 15 balls with a hamstring injury.

Williamson didn't return to lead as Tim Southee took over the leadership duties. The Kiwi captain has flown home to Tauranga and was due to undergo scan on his injury on Monday (January 15). Interestingly, the selectors had already rested Williamson for the third T20I to manage his injured knee. But he is now a major doubt for the remainder of the series itself and with twin Test series at home against South Africa and Australia coming, he might opt to stay away from the shortest format for now.

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead confirmed that the hamstring injury is to the same leg as the injured knee while also confirming that the T20 skipper might not play the last two T20Is as well. "It's the same leg as what his knee injury was on. He's gone home to Tauranga. He'll get a scan today. Until I know more about the scan, then I haven't got any further update at this stage. Will Young was going to join the team anyway for this [part of the] series. Kane wasn't going to join. I think it's likely that Will will stay on, but until we get the scan results from Kane, then we can't make a further decision.

"I think it's unlikely he will play. I mean with the Test matches so close as well and probably in the big scheme of things in the short term for us has higher priority then I think it's likely we'll try and make sure that he's right for that," Stead said while also adding that Tim Seifert is most likely to replace him in the squad. Meanwhile, New Zealand are 2-0 up in the five-match series against Pakistan with the third T20I set to take place on January 17.