Trent Boult

Trent Boult, the left-arm swing bowler from Rotorua, reshaped New Zealand's attack with his ability to make the new ball talk. His natural away-swing to the right-hander, delivered with a smooth, repeatable action, troubled the finest batsmen in the world, especially in opening spells. Accuracy in the corridor and subtle variations made him a threat everywhere, and lethal when the ball moved. He took 22 wickets at the 2015 World Cup, the joint-most in the tournament, as New Zealand reached their first final, and he was central to the agonising 2019 final at Lord's, lost to England on boundary count after a tied super over.

Boult's choices defined his later years. In 2022 he gave up his central contract to spend more time with family and play franchise leagues, a move that divided opinion but never diminished his standing, and he continued to turn out for New Zealand in white-ball cricket, including the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup. His Test career was outstanding: 317 wickets in 78 matches at an average under 28, and a starring role in the side that won the inaugural World Test Championship final against India in 2021. With Tim Southee he formed one of the great new-ball partnerships. In the IPL he won the 2021 title with Mumbai Indians, starred for Rajasthan Royals and rejoined Mumbai in 2025.