In a match that was nothing more than a formality, New Zealand crushed Uganda by nine wickets in a Group C clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad. The Kiwis, who were already out of the tournament, played with freedom and it showed in their performance as they bowled out Uganda for a paltry 40 runs.
The Ugandan innings was a disaster from the start. Trent Boult and Tim Southee, who have been New Zealand's best bowlers in the tournament, were at their destructive best. Boult took two wickets for just seven runs while Southee was even more impressive, taking three wickets for just four runs. The Ugandan batsmen had no answer to the pace and swing of the Kiwi bowlers and were bundled out in just 18.4 overs.
Chasing a small target, New Zealand lost Finn Allen early but Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra made sure there were no further hiccups. Conway, in particular, was in a hurry to finish the game and smashed 22 runs off just 15 balls. Ravindra, on the other hand, was content to play second fiddle and scored an unbeaten 13 off 18 balls.
The win was a consolation for New Zealand, who had a disappointing tournament. They failed to qualify for the Super 8s for the first time in 10 years, losing their first two games to Afghanistan and hosts West Indies. For Uganda, it was a learning experience. The African nation, playing in their first T20 World Cup, showed glimpses of their potential but were outclassed by more experienced teams.
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