Tarouba (Trinidad and Tobago), Jun 18: Star speedster Trent Boult's final T20 World Cup game for the Blackcaps left New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson overwhelmed with emotions, as he expressed his admiration for the veteran pacer.
Boult's legendary run in the main T20I event came to an end when New Zealand won the match against Papua New Guinea.
In their last Group C game, New Zealand defeated Papua New Guinea by seven wickets, after bundling the associate nation out for 78.
Williamson acknowledged Boult's enormous achievements for both New Zealand and international cricket, highlighting his long-lasting reputation as a remarkable player.
“Yeah, I mean, he's been an amazing servant of our game and like you mentioned, we've sort of grown up playing together from age group cricket, the ages of sort of 10, 11, and really followed a similar path and what he's been able to do in the game, not just for New Zealand but really recognition from all around the world, a skill set, a strong desire to keep getting better and to be at the stage of his career that he is at the moment,” Williamson said in a post-match conference.
“Still bowling beautifully, still fit, and strong is a testament to all the work that he's put in. And from us in the inner sanctum, he's always brought great energy, a real willingness to compete, and a big player for us that's difficult to replace. But I think when somebody puts the time that he has into the black cap and the effort he's put into his country, it paves the way for new players to come through and see a standard that's been set and I think he can be really proud of that,” he added.
It was a bittersweet moment for New Zealand, as one of the game's greats could be saying farewell to T20I cricket. However, it marked the end of a disastrous T20 World Cup campaign for the previous finalists.
Boult revealed after the game at Trinidad's Brian Lara Stadium that he is not considering retiring from white-ball cricket at this time.
The speedster completed his T20 World Cup campaign on a good note, taking two wickets for 14 runs.
It was also the day when Lockie Ferguson broke the world record for the most economical spell in men's T20I cricket, taking three wickets in four overs without conceding a single run.
In Group C, NZ ends in third place with two wins and two losses to the West Indies and Afghanistan, giving them four points.
With a win in this game, the Kiwis have been able to salvage some pride and walk out of their worst World Cup showings across 50-over and 20-over formats in recent years with their heads up.
