Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, has demonstrated his sportsmanship by sending his best wishes to New Zealand’s captain, Kane Williamson, who suffered a knee injury during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Babar tweeted an image of him and Williamson hugging as he expressed his concern, saying he hoped the Kiwi captain would recover soon and bounce back stronger. Fans worldwide appreciated the Pakistani captain’s gesture, as he continues to win over fans with his actions on and off the field.
Williamson’s injury is a major setback for New Zealand, who will now have to prepare for the upcoming one-day World Cup without their star batsman and captain. The New Zealand cricket board has confirmed that Williamson has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and will require surgery. The injury could keep Williamson out of action for several months, which could have a significant impact on New Zealand’s World Cup campaign.
According to the NZ cricket board, Williamson will require surgery on his injured right knee, after scans confirmed he’d ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament while fielding for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. “The standard rehabilitation timelines mean that Williamson is now unlikely to be fit and available for selection at this year’s ICC ODI Cricket World Cup in India,” it said.
Williamson is one of cricket’s premier batsmen. He played a crucial role as they clawed their way into the final of the 2019 World Cup, where Williamson was judged player of the tournament. New Zealand fell agonisingly short — losing to England on a boundary countback in a nail-biting Super Over after a draw in the final.
In a statement, Williamson acknowledged the support he’d received since sustaining the injury and thanked both the Gujarat Titans and New Zealand Cricket for that. “Naturally it’s disappointing to get such an injury, but my focus now is on having the surgery and starting rehab,” he said. “It’s going to take some time, but I’ll be doing everything I can to get back on the field as soon as possible.” While the World Cup now looked unlikely, Williamson vowed to support the team in any way he could.
As Williamson begins his rehabilitation and recovery, cricket fans will be hoping to see him back in action soon, and New Zealand will be hoping to find a way to cope without their captain and star batsman. Pakistani skipper Babar Azam has once again demonstrated his character by sending his best wishes to Kane Williamson. It is an important reminder that in sportsmanship, there are no boundaries, and we can all come together to support each other.
