Luckless batter Kane Williamson is set to miss the rest of New Zealand's T20 series against Pakistan as he seeks to recover from a hamstring issue in time for Tests against South Africa and Australia.
Williamson retired hurt after making 26 in the Black Caps' win over Pakistan in Hamilton on Sunday, exiting in the 10th over after feeling tightness in his right hamstring.
"He's gone home to Tauranga and he'll get a scan today," coach Gary Stead told journalists on Monday.
The 33-year-old was always due to miss Wednesday's third match of the five game series as he manages his return from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) last April.
Stead said the hamstring issue - on the same leg as his knee injury - meant he would likely keep his star man on ice for Tests this summer against South Africa, beginning on February 4, and Australia.
"With the Test matches so close as well ... in the short term for us (they have) higher priority," he said.
Williamson suffered the ACL rupture on Indian Premier League duty last year.
The right-handed top-order bat made a swift comeback for the ODI World Cup, only to break his thumb in his return match against Bangladesh, recovering to play later matches at the tournament.
He scored a Test century against Bangladesh earlier this summer but was then held back from ODI and T20 series against the same opponent to assist his recovery.
"He's done remarkably well so far to to get back and do what he has done," Stead said.
"Kane's a prodigious trainer in the nets. Loves to hit balls and work on his game and so probably even by his standards, he hasn't quite done as much as what he had liked but he's still showing the results, which is pretty amazing in itself."
Williamson also struggled with a chronic elbow issue in 2021 and 2022.
Like all Black Caps, Williamson will have circled the home Tests against arch-rivals Australia as New Zealand looks to reclaim the Trans-Tasman Trophy for the first time in 30 years.
Pat Cummins' side play Tests in Wellington from February 29 and Christchurch a week later to complete their local summer of cricket.
