In a match that showcased the vast gulf in skill and experience between the two sides, New Zealand romped to a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Papua New Guinea in their final Group C game of the T20 World Cup at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.
Winning the toss and opting to bowl first, the Kiwis put on a masterclass in seam bowling, led by the fiery Lockie Ferguson. The lanky fast bowler was simply unplayable, finishing with figures of 4-0-3-0, the most economical spell in T20 World Cup history. Papua New Guinea were bundled out for a paltry 78 in 19.4 overs, with only Charles Amini (17) and Norman Vanua (14) offering any resistance.
In reply, New Zealand made light work of the target, racing to 79 for 3 in just 12.2 overs. Devon Conway (35) and Daryl Mitchell (19) were the main contributors with the bat, while Kabua Morea (2-4-2) and Semo Kamea (3-23-1) were the pick of the Papua New Guinea bowlers.
The victory was a mere consolation for New Zealand, who had already been eliminated from the tournament following losses to Afghanistan and West Indies. However, it will serve as a much-needed morale boost for the Kiwis, who had a disappointing campaign overall.
For Papua New Guinea, the defeat was their seventh consecutive loss in T20 World Cups, equalling the record set by Bangladesh between 2007 and 2012. The Pacific Islanders will be hoping to regroup and come back stronger in future tournaments.
In the end, it was a mismatch of epic proportions, with New Zealand proving too strong for their inexperienced opponents. The Kiwis will now look to regroup and come back stronger in future tournaments, while Papua New Guinea will need to go back to the drawing board and work on their game.
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