Tim Southee to undergo surgery; will he recover in time?
New Zealand's pace spearhead Tim Southee is set to undergo surgery after suffering a thumb injury during the Lord's ODI against England last week. Although Southee dislocated and fractured his right thumb, New Zealand are hopeful that he will feature in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup. The Kiwis will play two warm-up matches against Pakistan and South Africa, respectively. Here are further details.
Gary Stead gives major updates
"We've got our fingers crossed the surgery goes well for Tim. He'll have some pins or screws inserted in his right thumb and, providing the procedure is a success, it will be a matter of ensuring Tim can tolerate the pain and manage the actual wound when returning to train and play," New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said.
How did Southee get injured?
As mentioned, Southee dislocated and fractured his right thumb while taking a catch at slip to dismiss England batter Joe Root at Lord's. He was fielding at a wide first slip while bowler Ben Lister delivered the ball off the last ball of the 14th over. Southee, who appeared to be in pain, was taken off the field by a touring medical team member.
Southee among injured players
Southee is among the few injured players in the New Zealand camp. Daryl Mitchell dislocated his ring finger while taking a catch to dismiss Jonny Bairstow in the same match. Fin Allen and Daryl Mitchell also sustained injuries.
Third-most ODI wickets for NZ
Southee has been leading New Zealand's pace attack for over a decade. He is their third-highest wicket-taker in ODIs, having taken 214 scalps at 33.60. Southee is only behind Daniel Vettori (297) and Kyle Mills (240) in this regard. Notably, Southee has represented NZ in the previous three 50-over World Cups (2019, 2015, and 2011). NZ were the runners-up in 2019 and 2015.
A look at NZ's schedule
NZ are set to take part in the three-match ODI series in Bangladesh, starting September 21. Five players of NZ's World Cup squad are currently part of the series. As mentioned, NZ will play two warm-up matches ahead of the World Cup, on September 29 and October 2. They will take on defending champions England in the WC opener on October 5 in Ahmedabad.
NZ's squad for World Cup 2023
NZ's squad for World Cup 2023: Kane Williamson (captain), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, and Will Young.
