New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson etched his name in the record books during the T20 World Cup match against Papua New Guinea on June 17.
Lockie Ferguson scripts World Record with four maiden overs
Ferguson achieved a World Record by bowling four maiden overs in his spell at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad, which is the first instance in the T20 World Cup history. Also, this makes him only the second bowler in men's T20 Internationals to achieve this, following Canada's Saad Bin Zafar. This record-breaking feat was previously achieved by Canada's Saad Bin Zafar during a T20 World Cup qualifier against Panama. However, Ferguson has now surpassed him by taking three wickets in his spell, compared to Zafar's two.
Ferguson's exceptional control and accuracy not only restricted Papua New Guinea to a lowly total of 78 but also earned him the title for the most economical spell in the T20 World Cup so far. Ferguson displayed incredible control, bowling four consecutive maiden overs and claiming three crucial wickets.
Most maidens in T20I innings
1) Lockie Ferguson (NZ) - 4 maidens vs PNG, 2024
2) Saad Bin Zafar (CAN) - 4 maidens vs Panama, 2021
3) George Sesay (Sierra Leone) - 3 maidens vs Mali, 2023
4) Nopphon Senamontree (Thailand) - 3 maidens vs Maldives, 2024
Most maidens in a T20 World Cup innings
1) Lockie Ferguson (NZ) - 4 maidens vs PNG, 2024
2) Ajantha Mendis (SL) - 2 maidens vs Zimbabwe, 2012
3) Harbhajan Singh (IND) - 2 maidens vs England, 2012
4) Tanzib Hasan Sakib (BAN) - 2 maidens vs Nepal, 2024
Most economical 4-over spells in Men’s T20 World Cup
3/0 - Lockie Ferguson (NZ) vs PNG, Tarouba, 2024*
3/4 - Tim Southee (NZ) vs UGA, Tarouba, 2024
2/4 - Frank Nsubuga (UGA) vs PNG, Guyana, 2024
4/7 - Anrich Nortje (SA) vs SL, New York, 2024
2/7 - Trent Boult (NZ) vs UGA, Tarouba, 2024
Ferguson's fiery spell
Ferguson's fiery spell dismantled PNG's batting. Introduced in the fifth over after a rain delay, he wasted no time, dismissing PNG skipper Assad Vala for just 6 runs on the very first ball. His raw pace overwhelmed the PNG batsmen, clearly outmatched against the superior New Zealand bowling attack.
Ferguson continued his dominance after the Powerplay. He returned and promptly shut down Sese Bau's scoring chances, bowling another maiden over. His clever use of variations in length kept the batsman off balance. Back for his third spell in the 12th over, he picked up another wicket on his second ball, dismissing Charles Amini for 17.
Ferguson's final over was a masterclass in control. Although two leg byes were conceded on the third ball, it didn't affect his exceptional figures. He then proceeded to bowl a remarkable fourth maiden over, dismissing Chad Soper for 1 and etching his name in history by achieving the incredible feat of four maidens in a T20 World Cup match.
New Zealand's disappointing T20 World Cup campaign
New Zealand's T20 World Cup campaign ended in disappointment. The team led by Kane Williamson were knocked out early after losses to Afghanistan and West Indies in the group stage. This meant their final match against Papua New Guinea would be a dead rubber. Adding to the bittersweet feeling, star pacer Trent Boult announced his retirement from T20 Internationals after the World Cup.
Talking about the result of the match, New Zealand secured a comfortable 7-wicket victory over PNG to sign off T20 World Cup on a high.
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