New Zealand's skipper Kane Williamson has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16 due to injury, Indian media reported. 

Williamson, who pulled out of the Pakistan and Sri Lanka (only -ball) tours, got injured during the opening game of this year's IPL on Friday. 

While fielding, Williamson put a great effort to stop the boundary but ended up with a knee injury. He was taken off the field immediately. Keeping in mind the ICC World Cup year, Williamson and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) decided to keep him out of the remaining IPL 2023 action. 

Senior Indian journalist Vikrant Gupta also confirmed that the right-handed batter will not be available to Gujrat Titans for upcoming matches. 

"Big blow to Gujarat Titans as Kane Williamson has been ruled out of IPL 2023," he wrote. 

So far, the Titans haven't made any official statement. After official confirmation, his replacement will also be announced. 

It must be noted here that Williamson (Gujarat Titans), Tim Southee (Kolkata Knight Riders), Devon Conway, and Mitchell Santner (both Chennai Super Kings) were given permission to leave the ODI series against Sri Lanka and -ball format tour to Pakistan and join their teams prior to the start of latest IPL edition. 

Finn Allen (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Lockie Ferguson (KKR) and Glenn Phillips (Sunrisers Hyderabad) joined their respective franchises after playing first ODI against Sri Lanka which was played on March 25. 

NZC announced T20I squad against Pakistan which is missing some of their main players. 

New Zealand's T20I squad against Pakistan

Tom Latham (c, wk), Chad Bowes, Mark Chapman, Dane Cleaver, Matt Henry, Ben Lister, Adam Milne, Cole McConchie, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young

T20I series schedule

14 Apr - 1st T20I, Lahore

15 Apr – 2nd T20I, Lahore

17 Apr – 3rd T20I, Lahore

20 Apr – 4th T20I, Rawalpindi

24 Apr – 5th T20I, Rawalpindi