Image Credit- AP
After a protracted absence due to a knee injury, Kane
Williamson made his international cricket comeback to mixed reviews. He guided
New Zealand to an eight-wicket victory and scored 78 against Bangladesh in the
chase, but he also suffered a strange injury to his left thumb, forcing him to
depart hurt.
“Got a bit fat and colourful straightaway,”
Williamson, wearing a glove on his left hand, told Ian Bishop at the
presentation ceremony about his injured thumb, adding that that’s all he knew
about the injury at that point.
This occurred in the 38th over of New Zealand’s
pursuit of 246; they eventually succeeded with 43 balls remaining. After
playing Taskin Ahmed to mid-on to move to position 78, Williamson took a quick
single. However, as the throw came in and missed the stumps, it struck him
directly on the left glove. Williamson received immediate on-field care,
including some bandages being put over the thumb and hand, before the team
doctors arrived. Williamson then continued to bat. But after a few balls, he
made the decision to leave the pitch.
“Just made holding the bat a little
difficult,” Williamson told Bishop by way of explanation about retiring
hurt. He will get scans done on the thumb on Saturday.
As for the condition of the knee, which was tested in
a competitive game for the first time in months – he ruptured his ACL at the
IPL in March – a laughing Williamson said, “Secondary to the thumb.”
He added, “Great to get through [the game] actually, from a knee
perspective.”
Shakib Al Hasan, the captain of his rival team, had a
bad day. Shakib, who scored 40 runs in 51 deliveries in Bangladesh’s 245 for 9,
suffered a left quad injury while batting in addition to the team losing the
match. He completed his innings and bowled all 10 of his overs by the 37th, at
which point he left the pitch.
Shakib left to receive scans on his left quad,
according to Najmul Hossain Shanto, the interim captain of Bangladesh.