Williamson returned to New Zealand in recent days where the severity of the injury was confirmed and he will now undergo surgery within the next three weeks once the swelling around the knee has reduced.

“Naturally it’s disappointing to get such an injury, but my focus now is on having the surgery and starting rehab,” he said. “It’s going to take some time, but I’ll be doing everything I can to get back on the field as soon as possible.”

Williamson’s absence from the World Cup would be a huge blow for New Zealand. He averages 47.83 across 161 ODIs with 13 centuries.

“You take Kane the player for a start, but then Kane the leader and the person he is within our group as well, it’s a huge spanner in the works for us,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said. “We haven’t given up hope that he might be right but at this stage it does look unlikely. Our first thoughts are with Kane at the moment, it’s a tough time for him, it’s not an injury you expect…it hits you pretty hard.”