New Zealand’s Williamson to miss World Cup opener

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson will miss the opening match of the ODI World Cup next week to recover from a knee injury, the country's cricket board said Friday.

Williamson was part of the team's Friday warm-up match against Pakistan in Hyderabad but only as a batsman and will aim to bat and field in the second warm-up fixture on Monday.

New Zealand cricket said in a statement that the captain would "continue to progress his knee rehabilitation".

"Right from the start we've taken a long-term view on Kane's return to play," head coach Gary Stead said.

"His recovery is tracking well and it's now a matter of making sure he can cope with the rigours and intensity of international cricket," he added.

"We'll continue to take a day by day approach to Kane's rehabilitation and certainly won't be putting any pressure on him to return before he is ready."

Wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Latham is leading New Zealand against Pakistan.

Williamson was included in the team despite concerns over his injury from this year's Indian Premier League.

He comes off a six-month lay-off as New Zealand look to build on their runners-up finish in the last edition of the 50-over World Cup in 2019, when they lost a dramatic final to England.

The Black Caps will play their second and final warm-up against South Africa in Thiruvananthapuram before the tournament opener on October 5 in Ahmedabad. (AFP)