The preparation for the 2023 ODI World Cup has commenced, with teams gearing up for the prestigious event scheduled to take place in India in October-November. However, New Zealand has received a major setback as star all-rounder Michael Bracewell has been ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
Bracewell, who was playing in the 2023 T20 Blast for Worcestershire Rapids in England, suffered a ruptured right Achilles while batting. As a result, he will be out of action for six to eight months and is scheduled to undergo surgery in the UK on Thursday. Following the surgery, Bracewell will undergo an extensive rehabilitation process, effectively ruling him out of the World Cup.
New Zealand coach Gary Stead expressed his disappointment over Bracewell’s injury, acknowledging that it is a significant blow to the team’s World Cup preparations.
“Firstly, you always feel for the player when injury strikes and especially when it means they will have to miss a world event. Michael’s a great team man and has had a fantastic 15 months for the BLACKCAPS since his international debut,” Stead said in a statement issued by New Zealand cricket.
“We’ve seen his exceptional skills in all three facets of the game and he was shaping as an important player for us at the world cup in India. Michael’s naturally pretty disappointed, but also pragmatic in acknowledging that injuries are a part of the sport and he’s now turning his focus to his rehabilitation,” Stead further added.
Bracewell made his ODI debut in 2022 and has been a valuable contributor to the New Zealand team since then. The 32-year-old has scored 510 runs in 19 matches at an impressive average of 42.50. Additionally, he has taken 15 wickets with his right-arm off-break bowling. One of his notable performances was his blistering century against India in the first ODI of the three-match series in January. He scored 140 runs off just 78 balls, marking the third-fastest century by a New Zealand player in ODI cricket.
Bracewell’s absence adds to the injury concerns for New Zealand, as their captain Kane Williamson also suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury while playing for Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 opener. However, Williamson’s availability for the World Cup has not been completely ruled out.
New Zealand, meanwhile, will hold simultaneous winter training camps at Lincoln and Tauranga from July 26-28 and August 9-11.
