Sport

Black Caps coach says future out of his hands after Cricket World Cup performance

08:17 am on 14 June 2024

Blackcaps coach Gary Stead. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Black Caps coach Gary Stead said it is up to others to decide his future in the job.

Fans are scratching their heads at the Black Caps performances at the T20 World Cup with the New Zealanders all but out of contention after just two games.

Thursday's 13 runs loss to co-hosts West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago leaves New Zealand at the bottom of the group without any points and needing a miracle to make the Super Eight stage of the tournament.

It follows a first up 84-run loss to Afghanistan.

RNZ asked Stead if he was still the right person to be coaching the Black Caps.

Another loss for Black Caps in T20 World Cup

"That's a question you should be asking other people," Stead told Morning Report.

"I can look at myself in the mirror and know that the preparation we tried to put in place has been as good as what's capable of and all I can do is try and prepare the players to be ready for the games."

Stead succeeded Mike Hesson as coach in 2018 and his current contract has him in control to the end of the current World Test Championship cycle in 2025.

New Zealand has two group games remaining at the T20 World Cup against Uganda and Papua New Guinea.

Stead said the squad has spoken about those two matches.

"Whilst it may seem that we're out of it there is still that pride of playing for your country and making sure that we put the effort in that we're proud of as well.

"You can't control everything in a cricket game but the things we can control are about the style we're trying to play.

"We have a number of fans that are still rooting for the Black Caps and the way that they play their cricket."

Meanwhile, captain Kane Williamson was asked in the post-match media conference if this meant an end to New Zealand's golden generation.

"They're still guys that will be here for some time," Williamson said.

"You come to a world event, you want to start well and to be honest, we need to be better in these conditions specifically."

The Black Caps next assignment after the World Cup is a one-off test against Afghanistan in September.