New Zealand’s cricket fans are facing a disappointing situation as they eagerly await the upcoming World Cup in India. The participation of their experienced fast bowler, Tim Southee, is uncertain, casting a shadow of doubt over their preparations.
Southee’s luck took a bad turn during the fourth One-Day International match against England at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. He received a significant injury to his right thumb during fielding, and it was a devastating blow for him.
This terrible situation happened when he boldly sought to take a high-flying catch, hoping to dismiss England’s best batsman, Joe Root. It was during the 14th over of England’s innings. Consequently, the 34-year-old had to leave the field, paving the way for the outstanding Trent Boult to take his place. Sadly, Southee couldn’t return to the game later in the day.
This setback added to the woes of the New Zealand team, as they had already lost the five-match series 3-1 to the persistent English team. Southee’s essential role as one of the four major pacers in New Zealand’s roster for the 2023 World Cup, alongside Trent Boult, Matt Henry, and Lockie Ferguson, raises worries regarding his participation in the cricketing spectacle.
“A timeline for his recovery will be established tomorrow when he undergoes further assessment,” stated New Zealand Cricket in their statement over Southee’s injury concerns.
When Tom Latham, serving as New Zealand’s interim captain for the series, shared his perspective on the plight of the injured right-arm pacer, it became abundantly clear just how crucial this fast bowler is to the team. Latham commented, “It’s not ideal for Timmy. He’s a massive leader amongst the group and obviously, he’ll be assessed over the coming days when we get back home to see how bad it is, but we do have a bit of time leading into those first couple of games, so we’ll know more over the next couple of day.”
He further added, “He’s a pretty resilient character, so I’m sure he’ll be doing all he can to be on the plane, ready for that first game. But it’s hard to know at this point what the timeframe will be. Once he gets home and has a few more scans, we’ll know the extent of what’s going on,” as quoted by Cricbuzz.
