🏏ICC T20I WC 2024: Match 39: NZ vs PNG Trinidad @8:00 PM IST🏏

🏏ICC T20I WC 2024: Match 39: NZ vs PNG at Brian Lara Stadium Tarouba, Trinidad on 17/6/24 @8:00 PM IST🏏

New Zealand (NZ) face Papua New Guinea (PNG) in an inconsequential encounter in the 2024 T20 World Cup at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad on Monday, June 17.

New Zealand finally got their first win of the campaign against Uganda in their last match. However, their defeats to Afghanistan and the West Indies had already dented their chances of reaching the Super Eight stage. The win against Uganda only proved to be a consolation for the Blackcaps. Having already been eliminated, Kane Williamson's men would want to bow out with a win on Monday.

Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea failed to build on the promise they showed against the West Indies, where they made the two-time champions grind hard for the two points. Assad Vala's men suffered defeats in their next two games against Uganda and Afghanistan to crash out of the competition. They would have their task cut out against a strong New Zealand side.

Brian Lara Stadium Pitch Report

Trent Boult and Tim Southee got prodigious swing with the new ball in the game against Uganda. They will hope to get similar movement and trouble the Papua New Guinea batters on Monday. The wicket is quite sluggish and run-scoring isn't easy at all. The average first innings score in seven T20Is is 146. Four games have been won batting first, while three have been won while chasing.

NZ vs PNG Head-to-Head

New Zealand and Papua New Guinea will lock horns for the first time in international cricket.

Team news: No major changes

PNG brought in left-arm quick Semo Kamea for Charles Amini in the last game against Afghanistan. Both teams are likely to go with the same playing XI barring any injury concerns.

NZ vs PNG Probable Playing 11

New Zealand:

Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Kane Williamson (c), Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Philips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson.

Papua New Guinea:

Tony Ura, Assad Vala (C), Lega Siaka, Sese Bau, Hiri Hiri, Chad Soper, Kiplin Doriga (WK), Norman Vanua, Alei Nao, John Kariko, Semo Kamea.

Probable Best Players of the Match

Probable Best Batter of the Match: Devon Conway

Devon Conway hasn't been in great form of late in T20Is. However, he scored an unbeaten 22 off 15 balls against Uganda, hitting four boundaries. There is no doubting Conway's quality with the bat. He looked good in the last game and would want to build on it against Papua New Guinea.

Probable Best Bowler of the Match: Trent Boult

Trent Boult is all set to play his last T20 World Cup encounter. He bowled an excellent spell against Uganda, finishing with figures of 2/7 in his four overs. The left-arm seamer can cause a lot of problems for the Papua New Guinea batters with the new ball. He would love to end his T20 World Cup career on a memorable note on Monday.

In the spotlight: Glenn Phillips and Alei Nao

No New Zealand player is among the top 40 run-scorers at this year's T20 World Cup. At No. 43 is Glenn Phillips with 58 runs in two innings. He top scored with a run-a-ball 18 against the unplayable Afghanistan bowling unit in the first game and followed it up with 40 against West Indies. He came in at No. 6 and counterattacked, hitting three fours and two sixes in his 33-ball stay, after yet another top-order collapse but his knock went in vain. He's been one of the positives in New Zealand's dull tournament.

Alei Nao has been the pick of the bowlers for PNG. The 30-year old seamer struck with his very first delivery at this T20 World Cup, removing West Indies' Johnson Charles for a duck in Providence. He has been excellent for PNG with the new ball and has taken a wicket in the powerplay in all three games. Nao has taken four wickets at an economy of 5.10 so far.

Stats that matter: NZ's batting woes

• New Zealand have the best economy rate of 4.22 in the powerplay in the T20 World Cup 2024
• PNG have scored at a run rate of 5.22 this tournament, the third-lowest behind Uganda and Sri Lanka
• New Zealand have the second-lowest batting average (12.60) among Full Member nations at this T20 World Cup behind Ireland

Pitch and conditions: Batters beware

The pitches at the Brian Lara Stadium have not been too conducive to batting. The fast bowlers have had a bit of help with the new ball, while the spinners have found some turn. It is expected to be partly cloudy in the morning, and thunderstorms can be expected in spots throughout the day.

What they said:

"There's a lot of pride in the dressing room and playing for the country. We've had some great records across the however many years and it's something that we don't look at too much. We come here to do a job and perform the way we know how to perform and play the game in the way that we want to play it. Unfortunately, we've been off the ball over the last couple of weeks and that's what it takes to not qualify. So, it's unfortunate but I think there's still some tremendous talent inside that dressing room and coming through the ranks in New Zealand cricket. So, we're a proud nation and I think it will continue to go that way" - Trent Boult, New Zealand pacer.

Big picture: New Zealand look to end with a bang

Is it one last time for New Zealand's golden generation in T20Is? They only have three players under 30 in their side. None of their senior batters have come to the fore in the tournament so far. Trent Boult, well, has been Trent Boult-ing, but he's confirmed this will be his last T20 World Cup.

Though Kane Williamson believes it may not be the end of the road yet for many seniors, New Zealand bowing out of the tournament early will make them rethink the future.

They did come together to show their prowess against Uganda in the last game, rolling them over for 40. Though all of their bowlers made a mark, their batting unit, one of their biggest letdowns this tournament, did not get much time in the middle. The win also came a bit too late, their fate already sealed: they will not be heading to the knockout stage of a men's World Cup for the first time since 2014.

Papua New Guinea, meanwhile, will be exiting with different emotions. They gave co-hosts West Indies a near-scare in the first game. Their spinners bowled superbly in that game. Their fast-bowling unit has been impressive. This will be the first time these teams come up against each other. Can PNG's bowlers challenge New Zealand's demoralised batting unit?

Scenario 1

New Zealand win the toss and opt to bowl first.

PP score: 20-30

PNG - 80-90

New Zealand win the match.

Scenario 2

Papua New Guinea win the toss and opt to bowl first.

PP score: 50-60

NZ: 180-190

New Zealand win the match.