NEW DELHI:
Trent Boult
, the renowned fast bowler from New Zealand, has announced that the current edition of the ICC
T20 World Cup
in 2024 will mark his final participation in the prestigious event while representing the Blackcaps.
"Speaking on behalf of myself, this will be my last T20 World Cup. That's all I have to say," Boult said at the press conference as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
T20 World Cup 2024: Points Table | Schedule
Boult's performances in the T20 World Cup have been outstanding, with 32 wickets in 17 matches and an impressive economy rate of 6.07, placing him second among the tournament's all-time top ten wicket takers.
At 34 years old, Boult's appearances for New Zealand have been sporadic since being released from his central contract nearly two years ago. If this is his last T20 World Cup, it may also be his final appearance in ODI World Cups, as the next T20 World Cup is scheduled for 2026, and the next ODI World Cup is set for the following year.
Since his debut in 2011, Boult has been a crucial part of New Zealand's golden era, featuring in numerous finals across all three formats. The left-arm pacer has also participated in four T20 World Cups since 2014. However, Boult's future with the New Zealand team remains uncertain after he chose to opt out of a central contract in 2022, favoring the opportunity to play T20 franchise cricket worldwide.
Despite New Zealand's failure to progress to the Super 8 stage of the tournament, Boult has one final T20 World Cup match against Papua New Guinea on Monday.
His confirmation that he will not play in another T20 World Cup underscores the aging nature of New Zealand's lineup, with only three players under the age of 30 when the team returns home: star batters Rachin Ravindra (24),
Finn Allen
(25), and all-rounder
Glenn Phillips
(27).
Boult and his fellow star pacer,
Tim Southee
, have been instrumental in many campaigns for the Blackcaps. After taking two wickets in four overs against Uganda, Boult expressed that there would be limited opportunities for the two to play together in the future.
"I look at the partnership with Tim Southee 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.
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