New Zealand has suffered a shocking exit from the T20 World Cup 2024, being eliminated at the group stage for the first time in their cricketing history. Led by captain Kane Williamson, the team was ousted after Afghanistan secured a seven-wicket win over Papua New Guinea on Friday, June 14.
The Kiwi's campaign in the tournament was plagued by early disappointments, with losses to Afghanistan by 84 runs and the West Indies by 13 runs in their opening matches. These defeats put their advancement in jeopardy, depending on the results of other games to progress.
However, Afghanistan's win over Papua New Guinea sealed New Zealand's fate, making it impossible for them to progress to the knockout stages, regardless of the results of their remaining group stage matches against Uganda on Saturday, June 15, and Papua New Guinea on Monday, June 17.
This early exit is a significant disappointment for New Zealand and their fans, marking the first time they have failed to advance beyond the group stage in the history of the T20 World Cup.