New Zealand to give Kane Williamson time to prove World Cup fitness

Williamson has made sufficient progress since his ACL injury at the IPL for New Zealand to still be hopeful of being able to include the 33-year-old in their squad

Kane Williamson will be given every chance to prove his fitness ahead of the final submission of New Zealand's World Cup squad.

Williamson landed awkwardly while fielding on the boundary early on at this year's Indian Premier League and suffered an ACL injury that seemed certain to rule him out of leading his country at the World Cup.

But he has made sufficient progress since then for New Zealand head coach Gary Stead to still be hopeful of being able to include the 33-year-old in his squad.

"We've got about two weeks from now until we name that side," he said. "We're going to give him every chance and use that full amount of time.

"He's in full rehab mode, he's back batting in the nets again, which is great to see. He's progressing really well, but there's a lot of work for him still to do to make sure he gets where we need him to be."

He added: "There's a chance that even if Kane was named that he wouldn't be available right at the start of the tournament. But he also might be, and he also might not be ready.

^{Williamson suffered his injury at the IPL (Punit Paranjpe/AFP via Getty Images)}

"Of course, we want him at the World Cup but there is that bigger picture in mind that we want Kane Williamson fit for the rest of his career.

"They'll be honest conversations that Kane and I will have with each other around exactly where he is at, to make sure we get the best outcome for our team but also the best outcome for Kane Williamson and his long-term career."

In the meantime, Jimmy Neesham – fresh from winning The Hundred with Oval Invincibles – will return home to New Zealand to be with his wife for the birth of their first child. He will miss the T20I series against England, with Cole McConchie remaining with the squad instead.

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