T20 World Cup 2024: Bowlers Shine as New Zealand Register Clinical Win Over Uganda in Dead Rubber

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An all-round bowling effort helped New Zealand register their first win of the T20 World Cup 2024 following a 9-wicket victory over Uganda in a Group C match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad & Tobago.

Trent Boult set the tone with two wickets in the opening over and his teammates joined in on the act as Uganda were bundled out for just 40 after they were sent into bat first by Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson.

In response, the Kiwis wasted no time as Devon Conway (22*) helped them ease past the victory target with almost 15 overs to spare. Finn Allen (9) and Rachin Ravindra (1*) also contributed to the runs.

Earlier, left-arm pacer Boult (2/7) and fellow veteran quick Tim Southee (3/4) wrecked havoc as Uganda folded up for a mere 40 in 18.4 overs, missing the lowest total in the T20 World Cup by just a run.

Uganda had been bowled out for the joint-lowest team total of 39 against West Indies last week. The gulf between them and top nations has been pretty evident in the tournament.

Opener Devon Conway (22 not out off 15, 4x4s) then fuelled New Zealand's first win of the tournament with the Kiwis knocking off the target in 5.2 overs.

Having lost their opening two games to Afghanistan and hosts West Indies, New Zealand finished outside of the semifinals for the first time in 10 years.

The Kiwis flexed their muscle against debutants Uganda, whose batters continued to struggle in the tournament. The African side has not gone beyond the 80-run mark in the tournament and conclude with three losses and a win.

With the ball swinging prodigiously in the powerplay, New Zealand made the most of it, giving away just 9/3. Boult set the tone of the match with twin strikes in the first over. He swung the ball away from a clueless Simon Ssesazi to trap him leg before wicket on the third ball of the innings.

Boult then knocked over Robinson Obuya's stumps on the very next delivery. The 34-year-old, however, was denied a hattrick by Alpesh Ramjani, who negotiated an out-swinging yorker.

Southee claimed Uganda's third wicket fell in the fourth over, as he trapped Ramjani in front of the wickets. Wickets continued to tumble for Uganda as spinners Mitchell Santner (2/8) and Rachin Ravindra (2/9) and pacer Lockie Ferguson (1/9) joined in on the action.

Southee then returned in the 18th over to claim two more wickets, trapping Fred Achelam and Juma Miyagi leg before wicket on consecutive deliveries. But like Boult, he too was denied a hattrick. Kenneth Waiswa (11) was the only Ugandan batter to reach a double digit score.

The result meant New Zealand moved up to third place on the standings in Group C, although they remain out of contention of earning a place in the Super Eights with Afghanistan and the West Indies having already qualified.

It also ended Uganda's tournament, with the African nation having registered one win from four matches when they defeated Papua New Guinea earlier in the month.