Trent Boult, the prolific New Zealand fast bowler announced his retirement from international cricket following the first-round exit of his team in the T20 World Cup 2024 after their match against Papua New Guinea.
On a personal note, Boult enjoyed a great individual performance with nine wickets from four games, but it wasn’t good enough collectively as a unit. Boult retires, leaving behind a legacy of records and contributions to New Zealand cricket. Here, we look at five Trent Boult records and notable performances in international cricket.
Top 5 Trent Boult Records
Here we go:
1. Second-most Dot Balls in an Innings in T20 WC History
The precision and control of Trent Boult in T20 cricket came to the fore during the recently concluded 2024 T20 World Cup. In the first round match against Uganda, Boult bowled 20 dot balls to become the second-most by any bowler in a single spell in T20 World Cup history, behind only Tanzim Hasan Sakib’s 21 dot balls against Nepal in the same tournament.
Boult could stifle the opposition’s scoring rate that proved crucial in his team performance, underlining how he is able to maintain pressure from one end and create opportunities for wickets at regular intervals.
2. Fifth Fastest to 150 ODI Wickets
Trent Boult took only 81 matches to reach the milestone of 150 ODI wickets—to become the fifth-fastest bowler in achieving the feat. This was a feat he achieved against the Bangladeshis at The Oval on 5 June 2019.
From Boult’s ODI debut on July 11, 2012, this spanned a period of just over seven years in which he had evolved to global status as one of the world’s best quicks, with an enviable record for threatening wickets and finishing matches single-handedly.
3. Third Fastest to 200 ODI Wickets
Boult carried his fine form in the ODI format and became the third-fastest bowler to reach 200 wickets. This feat he achieved in only 107 matches. He reached this milestone in the match between him and Bangladesh in Chennai on October 13, 2023.
Boult has been taking wickets constantly for New Zealand at both phases of the game— at the beginning and during the end overs. The pace, swing, and accuracy have bordered on leaving even the best batsmen in the world in tatters; his milestone of 200 wickets certainly is the epitome of his continued excellence and adaptability in the 50-over format.
4. Most Five-Wicket Hauls in ODI Career for New Zealand
He went on further to take six five-wicket hauls in ODIs, the most by any New Zealand bowler and ranking among higher performances globally. His best bowling figures, 7/34, showcase his ability to single-handedly dismantle batting line-ups.
From a debut in 2012 through retirement in 2023, Boult played in 114 matches to return an admirable average of 24.38 and an economy rate of 4.99. The ability to deliver breakthroughs and dominate with the ball has been important for New Zealand in too many high-stakes matches.
5. Most Catches by a Substitute in an ODI Innings
Trent Boult further showed his versatility and athleticism in the field, setting a record for the highest number of catches as a substitute fielder in an ODI innings. He took three catches against England at Lord’s on September 15, 2023.
Clearly, that is what shows how Boult has remarkably quick reflexes and outstanding skills in the field, making huge contributions to the team’s performance when he wasn’t bowling. His awareness and agility in the field often turned games in New Zealand’s favour.
Conclusion
Boult’s retirement marks the end of an era for New Zealand cricket. His outstanding records and contributions have forever left their mark on the game. Such a career, replete with outstanding achievements and consistent performances, will not be easy to forget as far as cricket aficionados are concerned. As he steps away from the international stage, it is his legacy as one of New Zealand’s greatest fast bowlers that will never be forgotten.
Also, see:
A Magnificent Era Ends: Top 5 Rohit Sharma Records in T20Is
