New Zealand veteran set to call time on T20 World Cup career after clash against PNG
New Zealand were knocked out from the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 race after Afghanistan's big win over Papua New Guinea on Friday. New Zealand will conclude their campaign in the last game against PNG in Tarouba on June 17.
The veteran cricketer Trent Boult announced that New Zealand's next game against Papua New Guinea will be his last T20 World Cup match on Saturday, June 15. With 81 wickets in 60 T20Is, the left-arm pacer ends his World Cup career as one of the best fast bowlers of his generation.
Despite New Zealand's early elimination from the T20 World Cup 2024, Boult impressed with seven wickets in just three innings. He took two wickets for seven as the Black Caps registered a big win over Uganda in Tarouba on Saturday.
Speaking ahead of the team's last game against PNG, Boult revealed that this will be his last T20 World Cup. He highlighted his long-standing bowling partnership with Tim Southee and said he had great memories with the red-ball team captain.
"Speaking on behalf of myself, this will be my last T20 World Cup," Trent Boult said. "I look at the partnership with Tim with very fond memories. We bowled a lot of overs together. I know the partnership very well, and obviously he's a very good friend on and off the ground. It was nice to wind back the clock a little bit and see a bit of swing bowling at the top. Some great memories, and hopefully a couple more still to come."
The 34-year-old speedster made his T20I debut in 2013 and has been part of New Zealand's squad for the 2014, 2016, 2021, 2022 and 2024 T20 World Cup editions. He has taken 32 wickets in 17 T20 World Cup innings, the second-best bowling number for the Kiwis after Southee's 34 wickets in 25 innings.
Having already opted out from the national contract two years ago, Boult is unlikely to play bilateral T20Is in the future. New Zealand cricket is expected to go through an overhaul in the T20I format after failing to reach the second round for the first time in their T20 World Cup history.