Lockie Ferguson went nuclear in the T20 World Cup! Forget taking wickets, the New Zealand speedster didn’t even let Papua New Guinea score a single run off his bowling! Yes, you read that right – four overs, four maidens, and three wickets – an absolute masterclass in fast bowling.
This wasn’t just any match; it was New Zealand’s final World Cup game, and Ferguson decided to sign off in style. Introduced in the fifth over, he wasted no time, dismissing PNG skipper Assad Vala for a mere 6 with the very first ball. The PNG batsmen, clearly outmatched, struggled against Ferguson’s raw pace.
Ferguson wasn’t a one-trick pony. He kept the batsmen guessing by expertly mixing up his lengths, making it impossible for them to score. After another maiden in the Powerplay, he returned in the 12th over and immediately accounted for Charles Amini, who could only manage 17.
There was a slight hiccup in his fourth over when two leg byes were awarded, but that couldn’t dampen Ferguson’s spirit. He finished the over with another wicket, dismissing Chad Soper for 1, to achieve an incredible feat – the most economical bowling spell in T20I history!
This wasn’t entirely uncharted territory. Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar had previously bowled four maidens in a T20I, but Ferguson took it a step further by grabbing three wickets as well.
While Ferguson stole the show, it was a bittersweet moment for New Zealand. After defeats to Afghanistan and West Indies, their World Cup dreams were already shattered. The match against PNG also marked the T20I retirement of their legendary pacer, Trent Boult.
Ferguson’s fiery spell, however, was a ray of sunshine in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the Kiwis. It’s a performance that will be etched in T20I history and a reminder of the sheer destruction a bowler on fire can unleash!