Following New Zealand’s final group stage game against Papua New Guinea, their new skipper is out of the T20 World Cup and for them, it’s time to say goodbye to Trent Bolt accordingly one of their great cricketers. Boult declared that he would be retiring from T20 World Cup before he played against PNG.
With New Zealand exiting the T20 World Cup after their final group game against Papua New Guinea, it’s time for the Kiwis to bid farewell to one of their all-time greats, Trent Boult. Before the game against PNG, Boult announced that this would be his last T20 World Cup match.
However, he did not specify if it would be his final appearance for New Zealand in the T20 format. The Kiwis had a disappointing campaign, being knocked out after heavy losses to Afghanistan and West Indies. Despite wins against Uganda and Papua New Guinea, they failed to secure a spot in the Super 8s.
Boult has been one of the best white-ball bowlers in world cricket, known for his ability to consistently take wickets with the new ball and control the game in the middle overs. His retirement will leave a significant gap in the team.
Alongside Tim Southee, Trent Boult formed one of the finest bowling partnerships in white-ball cricket. Boult’s exceptional career made a significant impact, and finding a suitable replacement will be a challenging task for the New Zealand management.
Here are three potential candidates New Zealand can groom to succeed Trent Boult:
#3 Ben Lister
One of the few left-arm pacers in New Zealand’s domestic circuit who has made it to the national team, Ben Lister needs proper development to approach Boult’s level of success. He excels with the new ball and can swing it both ways.
Like Boult, Lister’s natural ability to hit a good length consistently troubles batters. While he tends to concede runs with the older ball, he is still early in his international career.
Lister debuted in first-class cricket for Auckland during the 2017-18 Plunket Shield and quickly became a key player. His consistent domestic performances earned him a place in the New Zealand squad for the T20I series against India in 2023. Since then, he has played 12 T20Is and one ODI for New Zealand.
#2 Ben Sears
Though not cut from the same cloth as Trent Boult, Ben Sears could be just as effective with more opportunities. As a tall, lanky fast bowler, Sears is a potential replacement for Boult due to his ability to swing the ball at high speeds. He understands the appropriate lengths to bowl at different stages of the game.
Sears debuted in List A cricket during the 2018-19 Ford Trophy for Wellington. Faster and more aggressive than Trent Boult, Sears has the capability to unsettle batsmen with his pace and the ability to generate awkward bounce.
In his T20I career spanning 17 matches, Sears has taken 19 wickets with a commendable economy rate. With proper development and more opportunities, the 26-year-old has the potential to step into the gap left by Boult.
#1 William O’Rourke
William O’Rourke is another fast bowler who has the potential to represent New Zealand for at least a decade, given his impressive start to his international career. Considered a candidate to excel across all formats for the Kiwis, O’Rourke can be groomed as Trent Boult’s future successor.
The tall fast bowler delivers with force, consistently generating steep bounce. He debuted internationally in an ODI against Bangladesh in December 2023 and followed up with his Test debut against South Africa a couple of months later, enjoying a successful outing with the ball.
In his three T20I appearances to date, O’Rourke has taken four wickets with an impressive economy rate of 7.08.
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