New Zealand ready to give their star player every chance to be fit for World Cup

New Zealand's preparations for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 have hit a minor setback as their fast bowling spearhead suffered an injury during the fourth ODI against England. With their World Cup campaign to begin on October 5, New Zealand are ready to give their bowler every chance to be fit for the marquee event.

3 things you need to know

• All teams have to confirm their final 15-man squad by September 28
• New Zealand will play a 3-match ODI series against Bangladesh ahead of the World Cup
• New Zealand will face England in their World Cup opener on October 5

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Southee suffers a fracture

Tim Southee sustained the injury while attempting a spectacular catch offered by England's Joe Root, diving across with both hands. Unfortunately, the ball hit his thumb, leading to a dislocation and a fractured bone in his right thumb, as confirmed by an X-ray.

"An x-ray has confirmed that Tim Southee dislocated and fractured a bone in his right thumb while attempting to take a catch in the 14th over of the 1st innings. A timeline for his recovery will be established tomorrow when he undergoes further assessment," BlackCaps tweeted.

The New Zealand cricket team promptly provided an update on Southee's condition, stating that a timeline for his recovery would be determined following further assessment. This injury has raised concerns about his availability for the highly-anticipated World Cup.

New Zealand head coach, Gary Stead, addressed the situation, emphasising that the decision regarding Southee's participation in the World Cup would hinge on his recovery timelines. Stead expressed the team's desire to give Southee every opportunity to prove his fitness. However, the uncertainty surrounding a bone fracture adds an element of unpredictability to the process.

Next 10-12 days crucial for Southee

Stead highlighted the importance of the next 10 to 12 days in Southee's healing process, during which he will need to regain full strength in his thumb and resume catching balls and bowling. The New Zealand team is eager to support their fast bowling ace as he works toward a swift recovery.

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“We'll just need to understand the timeframes and what that looks like and once we have that information, we will then be able to move forward and make a decision," Stead said. 

“We'll want to give Tim, every chance of proving his fitness. There will be an element of the unknown being that it's a bone fracture, and at some stage, he will have to start catching balls and bowling again. The healing process in the next 10 to 12 days will be pretty important for him as well.”

New Zealand's World Cup journey begins on October 5 in Ahmedabad, where they will face England. Before that, they have a three-match ODI series against Bangladesh and warm-up matches against Pakistan and South Africa. The cricketing world will be eagerly watching Southee's progress as New Zealand aim to mount a strong challenge in the tournament.

New Zealand's preliminary World Cup squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young.