NEW DELHI: Opting to bowl first after winning the toss,
New Zealand
's pace duo of
Tim Southee
and Trent Boult delivered fiery spells, dismantling Uganda's top order.
Boult struck twice in the first over, dismissing
Simon Ssesazi
and Simon Ssesazi for golden ducks. Southee then joined the party, trapping Alpesh Ramjani leg-before for a six-ball duck, leaving Uganda reeling at 2/3 in 3.4 overs.
As a result, New Zealand secured a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Uganda in their ICC
T20 World
Cup Group C encounter at Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday.
This win, however, came after New Zealand had already been eliminated from the tournament due to their previous losses.
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Uganda's batters struggled to cope with the high-quality pace bowling, and at the end of the powerplay, they found themselves in a precarious position at 9/3. The middle order failed to provide any resistance, and by the halfway mark, Uganda had lost half their side for a paltry 21 runs.
New Zealand's spinners,
Mitchell Santner
and
Rachin Ravindra
, also contributed effectively, picking up two wickets each. Except for Kenneth Waiswa's 11-run knock, no other Ugandan batter could reach double figures, and the team was bundled out for a meagre 40 runs in 18.4 overs.
Chasing a modest target of 41, New Zealand lost opener
Finn Allen
early, but
Devon Conway
's brisk 22 not out, laced with four boundaries, ensured a comfortable victory with 88 balls to spare.
In the post-match presentation, Southee, who was adjudged the 'Player of the Match' for his three-wicket haul, expressed disappointment at New Zealand's early elimination from the tournament, despite their consistent performances over the past decade in major events.
"It was a pretty clinical performance, was nice to get a win. It has been a bit tricky, just try to hit the stumps with variable bounce. We are disappointed to find ourselves out of the tournament. We were outplayed in the first two games, we have a proud record in World Cups and that has now come to an end," said the pacer, as quoted by ANI.
On if he has another World Cup left in him, the veteran said, "I got a nice break leading into this World Cup. My body is feeling well, I love playing for New Zealand. Dream to play cricket and I still enjoy it, so you never know."
Despite the win, New Zealand remained in third place in Group C with two points from three matches, behind West Indies and Afghanistan, who have qualified for the Super Eights stage. Uganda, with two points from four matches, occupied the fourth spot.
The match showcased New Zealand's bowling prowess, as they bundled out Uganda for a paltry total and then chased it down comfortably. However, their early elimination from the tournament was a disappointment for a side with a proud record in World Cups over the past decade.
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