New Zealand’s veteran left-arm quick Trent Boult has confirmed that the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 will be his last. The BlackCaps are already eliminated from the tournament’s Super Eight stage after suffering losses against Afghanistan and tournament co-hosts West Indies.
“Speaking on behalf of myself, this will be my last T20 World Cup,” Boult said after claiming 2 for 7 in what was essentially an inconsequential win against Uganda.
Boult, who made his debut in 2011, has been a key member of the New Zealand outfit and has featured in four editions of the T20 World Cup since 2014. Boult, now 34, has already opted out of a central contract in 2022, preferring to play T20 franchise cricket across the globe.
While it is yet to be confirmed whether he is featuring in his final game in New Zealand colours in their remaining World Cup contest against Papua New Guinea on June 17, it could also mean that the world has seen the last of him in ODI World Cups as well – the next T20 World Cup is set for 2026, but the next ODI World Cup is scheduled only for the year after that.
New Zealand had made the semi-finals of every ODI and T20 World Cup since 2015, and this will be the first edition ever since when they failed to even make it to the Super Eight stage, and with Boult’s confirmation, this could well mark the start of a transition period for the Kiwi side in which only three players will be under 30 years of age by the time the team returns home (Mark Chapman has a birthday over the next few days).
All these years, Boult found an able new ball partner in Tim Southee, and the two had played significant roles in the majority of their campaigns. Boult spoke as if he felt there would be limited opportunities for the two to play together in the future.
“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,” he said.
When New Zealand captain Kane Williamson was earlier asked if this T20 World Cup could be the final hurrah for a generation of Kiwis, he said, “No, I think there’s still guys that will be here for some time.”
But with Boult’s confirmation, it seems that the Kiwis will have to hunt another for another effective left-arm quick to fill in those big boots.