Image Credit- ICC
With a commanding victory over Papua New Guinea, New Zealand concluded a dismal Twenty20 World Cup 2024 campaign. At Tarouba’s Brian Lara Stadium, they managed to chase down a meagre goal of 79 with seven wickets and forty-six balls remaining.
With 3 for 0 in his four overs, Lockie Ferguson epitomised the magnitude of the disparity. After Canada skipper Saad Bin Zafar accomplished the milestone in 2021 when he returned 2 for 0 against Panama, the speedster from New Zealand became just the second bowler to deliver four maidens in a Twenty20 International match.
Ferguson was accurate and precise, but PNG’s batsmen had a difficult time handling the pitch’s wetness and the residual moisture from the morning storms, which caused the toss to be postponed by an hour. After winning the toss, Kane Williamson chose to introduce the opposition, who were 16 for 2 following the powerplay, primarily due to the weather.
Before being pinned leg before wicket for Ferguson’s second of the innings, Charles Amini scored the highest score of the innings (17) during the most fruitful partnership of 27 for the third wicket with Sese Bau.
In his final T20 World Cup encounter, Trent Boult returned to bowl his final two overs at the end of the game and went on to pocket two wickets. In his debut encounter of the competition, Ish Sodhi replaced Jimmy Neesham in the XI and went on to pick up a brace, capturing the last wickets of PNG in the 20th over before they were bowled out with two balls remaining in their innings.
However, PNG had no intention of giving up without a fight. After playing the opening match against the West Indies, Kabua Morea returned to the starting lineup and removed Finn Allen, caught behind, off the second ball of New Zealand’s innings. Then, at the beginning of the fifth over, he pocketed Rachin Ravindra after the left-hander attempted and failed to lift over deep midwicket.
Semo Kamea’s trapping of Devon Conway on the crease added to the atmosphere on the pitch. But his 35, which contained three sixes and two fours, had lessened the bite of the chase. The highest partnership of the tournament for New Zealand was shared by Conway and Williamson, who scored 34 runs for the third wicket.
Following the formalities, Williamson and Daryl Mitchell scored the final 25 runs from 18 balls to give New Zealand their second victory and condemn PNG to a fourth loss.