‘Beginning of the end’: New Zealand’s 25-year World Cup disaster

New Zealand have been the cricket world’s perennial World Cup overachievers but Australia’s closest neighbours are living a nightmare.

New Zealand’s T20 World Cup hopes are hanging by the tiniest of threads as the perennial overachievers appear headed for first round exit from the competition.

The Kiwis have lost their opening two matches of the tournament, thrashed by Afghanistan on the weekend, before falling short against hosts the West Indies on Thursday.

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New Zealand were heavily favoured to cruise into the second round but the side has been a shadow of its usual self, currently sitting last in Group C.

While the door is not completely closed for New Zealand, it’s almost shut as they could be knocked out of the tournament as soon as tomorrow when Afghanistan play the also winless Papua New Guinea.

If Afghanistan win, New Zealand are out. Otherwise, New Zealand can still make it if Afghanistan lose both of their matches and absolutely destroy both PNG and Uganda themselves to overturn a horror net run rate disadvantage — and also hope neither of the Afghanistan matches aren’t washed out.

But it doesn’t cover up the Kiwis have been abysmal so far in this World Cup.

Glenn Phillips was the only New Zealander to give the side hope. Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images

Assuming a miracle doesn’t happen, it will be the first ICC tournament New Zealand have failed to make it out of the first round at since 2014.

However, in 2014, New Zealand qualified directly for the Super 10, where only the top two teams in each group progressed — they finished third out of five teams in group 1, including losing to South Africa, who progressed to the semi-finals, by just two runs.

New Zealand looked to have turned their fortunes around after an 84-run thrashing to Afghanistan, leaving hosts the West Indies 5/30 in the seventh over and then 7/76 by the 13th over.

But a stunning 39-ball 68 including six sixes saved the day for the Windies, who set 9/149 off their 20 overs.

Despite being in a must-win clash, the Kiwis never really got going, losing regular wickets and finishing their 20 overs at 9/136.

It’s the first time since 1999 that the West Indies have defeated New Zealand at an ICC event.

It’s also the first time in T20 international history a full-member side has lost after having their opposition seven down for a lower score, according to CricBuzz statsman Deepu Narayanan.

The result clinched the Windies’ place in the Super 8 rounds of the tournament as the hosts are undefeated after three matches.

The West Indies are through. Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images

Only Glenn Phillips (40 off 33 balls) caused any real worries for the West Indies but when he fell to Joseph in the 18th over the match was effectively over as a contest, despite Mitchell Santner belting three sixes off Romario Shepherd in the final over.

“We knew it was going to be difficult to get runs on this wicket which is why the quality of Sherfane’s innings was of the highest,” New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said.

“We took a decision to try to bowl them out, but unfortunately it didn’t come up for us today.”

But social media was ruthless, piling on New Zealand over the unmitigated disaster the tournament has been.

1 News’ senior sports reporter Patrick McKendry posted: “Honest question: Is this the most underwhelming performance ever by the New Zealand cricket team at a global tournament?”

The Age’s Andrew Wu pondered: “One of those rare times New Zealand punched below their weight at a World Cup. Wonder if it’s the beginning of the end for their golden generation.”

Former Indian cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra said: “So, NZ is almost eliminated. Wow … not many would have seen it coming.”

Another fan said: “Feeling sad for New Zealand. NZ are out of cricket World Cup 2024 virtually.”

An historically poor World Cup campaign for @BLACKCAPS 😢

Out of 22 World Cup starts (ODI + T20):

Only time when @BLACKCAPS have lost their first two games: 2024

Four times when @BLACKCAPS have failed to progress past their first phase of tournament: 1983, 1987, 2014, 2024

— Michael Appleton (@michelappleton) June 13, 2024

Former NZ player Mitchell McClenaghan said: “So taken a back that we could potentially go into the next phase of the World Cup with … No England, No Pakistan, No New Zealand, No Sri Lanka.

“Fascinating!”

At least the Kiwis aren’t alone. Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images

While it would be a surprising turn of events with world No. 3 England, No. 5 New Zealand, No. 7 Pakistan and No. 8 Sri Lanka, England’s World Cup campaign has been spoiled mainly by their first match wash out, before losing to Australia.

Pakistan are still in the hunt, although their fate will come down to the USA clash against Ireland on Saturday morning Australian time.

Sri Lanka have already been eliminated after losses to South Africa and Bangladesh, while their clash against Nepal was washed out.

It’s big for the West Indies, who have already qualified for the next round despite a horror start to the match.

After victories over Papua New Guinea and Uganda at the Guyana National Stadium, West Indies’ batting seemed unprepared for the challenge, until Rutherford intervened to transform what was shaping up as an abject capitulation.

“It is good that, after finding ourselves in so much trouble early on, the guys dug deep and we were able to pull this one out,” West Indies captain Rovman Powell said.

“From the hotel the message was that someone would have to play a blinder. We always believe that individual brilliance is needed sometime in T20 cricket and Sherfane’s knock was a fantastic effort. It gave us confidence and at the halfway mark we believed.”

With AFP