New Zealand, the 2021 T20 World Cup finalists, became the first big-name team to be eliminated from the race for Super 8s in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.
Back-to-back defeats against the West Indies and Afghanistan, a side they had never lost to before, placed them at the bottom of their group, preventing them from progressing to the knockout stages.
The New Zealand team’s performance in the World Cup was disappointing from the start. Their 13-run loss to the West Indies in Trinidad followed a surprising setback to Afghanistan in their first encounter.
Notably, the Black Caps did not play any warm-up matches before the competition, which may have contributed to their lack of preparation. New Zealand players preferred to play in the IPL while their second-string team played Pakistan in Pakistan. The entire team didn’t play any warmup matches to gel together and this probably came to haunt them.
Gary Stead, the Black Caps’ head coach since 2018, has conceded that his future with the team appears uncertain and beyond his control. Stead’s status has come under examination as a result of the team’s dismal record, and he still has a year left on his contract.
“I can look at myself in the mirror and…”- Gary Stead on his future with the New Zealand team
When questioned about his suitability to continue as head coach, Stead avoided the topic, implying that it was for others to decide. He expressed confidence in the team’s preparation efforts, adding that they had endeavored to implement the greatest possible preparation.
“That’s a question you should be asking other people. I can look at myself in the mirror and know that the preparation we tried to put in place has been as good as (possible). It’s a hollow feeling and the guys are disappointed. We came here to try to win matches and tournaments,” Stead told Radio New Zealand ahead of Afghanistan’s win over Papua New Guinea, as quoted by AFP.
New Zealand never got going in the World Cup. It lost by 13 runs to the West Indies in Trinidad, after suffering a shock first-ever defeat against Afghanistan in its opening game.