New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson etched his name in cricket history books on Monday during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (WC) 2024 match against Papua New Guinea.
The 33-year-old pacer delivered a bowling masterclass, achieving the most economical figures ever recorded in Men’s T20 Internationals.
Ferguson’s phenomenal spell saw him bowl four immaculate overs, conceding absolutely no runs! This remarkable feat included taking three wickets, further solidifying his dominance.
Previously, only one bowler, Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar, had achieved the feat of bowling four scoreless overs in a Men’s T20 International, back in 2021 against Panama. Ferguson, however, becomes the first ever to achieve this incredible feat on the prestigious stage of the T20 World Cup.
Ferguson’s brilliance began right from the first ball. He dismissed Papua New Guinea’s captain Assad Valada for just 6 runs, setting the tone for his spell. He then proceeded to tie up the new batsman, bowling a maiden over in the crucial powerplay.
Maintaining his exceptional control, Ferguson was entrusted with the first over after the powerplay as well, and once again, delivered a maiden over, keeping the pressure firmly on the PNG batsmen.
Ferguson returned for his second spell in the 12th over and continued his wicket-taking ways, dismissing Charles Amini for 17 runs. His dominance continued as he completed a hat-trick of maiden overs in the 14th over, dismissing Chad Soper for just 1 run.
The historic achievement was met with jubilant celebrations from his teammates as Ferguson completed his fourth consecutive maiden over. This remarkable performance not only secured a crucial win for New Zealand but also cemented Ferguson’s place in cricket’s record books.