New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson and teammate Trent Boult faced disappointment as their team crashed out of the T20 World Cup, failing to make it to the Super Eight stage. Boult confirmed that this tournament would be his last T20 World Cup, but Williamson remained elusive about his future in 20-overs internationals. With a victory against Papua New Guinea, New Zealand finished third in their group, behind West Indies and Afghanistan.
Williamson, 33, was non-committal about whether he would participate in the 2026 World Cup, stating that there is time to regroup as a side, and focusing on upcoming red-ball cricket matches. He expressed frustration at the early exit, despite New Zealand’s history of performing well in global tournaments. Starting their campaign with losses against Afghanistan and West Indies, their subsequent wins against Uganda and Papua New Guinea were not enough to advance.
Trent Boult, a left-arm paceman, stated that he had played his last day of international cricket after New Zealand’s T20 World Cup campaign ended with a win over Papua New Guinea. Boult, who was released from his central contract in 2022, has been playing in domestic T20 leagues abroad. Despite being infrequently selected for international duty, Boult had a successful 13-year career, culminating in a semifinal appearance in the 50-over World Cup last year.
In a rather anticlimactic end to his international career, Boult had a standout performance in a ‘dead’ T20 World Cup game against Papua New Guinea, where he took two wickets for 14 runs. With a total of 317 wickets in 78 Tests, Boult is the fourth highest wicket-taker for New Zealand, behind Tim Southee and Richard Hadlee. Boult’s last Test match was nearly two years ago, with his most recent one-day international being the World Cup semi-final.
Williamson acknowledged Boult’s contributions to New Zealand cricket, describing him as a great servant of the game who has been consistent across all formats. Boult’s retirement marks the end of an era for New Zealand cricket, with his departure leaving a void in the team’s bowling lineup. Despite the disappointment of the T20 World Cup exit, New Zealand will have to regroup and focus on their upcoming red-ball cricket matches, with uncertainties surrounding Williamson’s future in 20-overs internationals.
