World Cup 2023: Tim Southee to undergo surgery on fractured thumb in bid to feature in ENG vs NZ opener

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Tim Southee is set to undergo a surgery on the thumb he fractured and dislocated during New Zealand's fourth and final ODI against England at the Lord's in London on Saturday.

The senior pacer is racing against time now to become fit for the upcoming World Cup 2023 which kick starts from October 5. A decision on his availability will be taken early next week once the results of the surgery are out.

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead expressed concerns over Southee's comeback, saying that some pins and screws will be inserted in the 34-year-old's thumb and playing with them won't be easy.

“We’ve got our fingers crossed the surgery goes well for Tim,” Stead said.

“He’ll have some pins or screws inserted in his right thumb and, providing the procedure is a success, it will be a matter of ensuring Tim can tolerate the pain and manage the actual wound when returning to train and play.

“Our opening game of the World Cup against England is not until Thursday October 5 in Ahmedabad, so that would be our logical target in terms of his availability.

“Tim’s obviously a hugely experienced and important figure in our team and we want to give him every chance to be part of this World Cup campaign.”

New Zealand are scheduled to play two warm-up matches ahead of the main event. They will face Pakistan in Hyderabad on Friday September 29, followed by a meeting with South Africa in Trivandrum on Monday October 2.

"The New Zealand-based World Cup players not on the current tour of Bangladesh will depart to India from next Tuesday," a release from New Zealand Cricket (NZC) stated.

New Zealand are also waiting for their captain Kane Williamson to regain full fitness. He has been named in the squad but is yet to play a game since injuring his knee in the first match of IPL 2023 for Gujarat Titans (GT).