Several Kiwi cricketers would have retired by next, T20 World Cup is round the corner: Taylor

AUCKLAND: Legendary New Zealand batter Ross Taylor feels several of his country's cricketers, who were part of the ICC T20 World Cup campaign in Australia, might not be around when the next edition of the tournament — to be hosted jointly by the West Indies and the United States — takes place in 2024.

With several Black Caps' cricketers in their mid-30s, and the players not having the benefit of getting a lot of money playing for their country, Taylor felt they might "start making different decisions on their careers".

New Zealand were expected to go all the way after finishing runners-up in the previous edition of the World Cup in the UAE but a crushing seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Pakistan in Sydney put paid to their hopes. Taylor also felt Kane Williamson's side didn't have a great build-up to the tournament.

"As New Zealand we always punch above our weight and there weren't really many pundits tipping us to get through the Super 12 stage and reach the final four. The semifinal against Pakistan was just a game too far for this team. The Black Caps didn't have a great build-up but the way they played in that first game and the margin they beat Australia set the tone," said Taylor in his column for the ICC.

"It was a campaign that exceeded some expectations but it's hard to tell whether it was a success or not. One thing's for sure is that the team is getting older and how many of them will be at the next T20 World Cup in 2024, I'm not sure.

"A lot of the guys will be 35, 36 and that's not old — believe me! But in New Zealand cricket we don't have the benefit of paying our players a lot of money, so they start making different decisions on their careers," he added.

Taylor felt youngsters should be blooded to don the mantle when older players finally hang up their boots.

"Glenn Phillips didn't come off against Pakistan but he would have to be the standout player of the tournament from a New Zealand perspective. It's an ageing team, so you need the likes of Glenn and Finn Allen, some of the younger players to take the mantle when these older guys do finally hang up their boots," he added. IANS

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