TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: The New Zealand express pacer, Lockie Ferguson was quite literally unplayable during the Kiwis’ final game of the T20 World Cup 2024 where he picked up three wickets and bowled four maidens as well against Papua New Guinea at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago.
The pacer was brought into the attack in the fourth over of the powerplay and has not given the PNG batters any room for a possible run during his spell. His figures of 3/0 in his four overs make it the most economical figures in the T20 World Cup. He bettered his compatriot, Tim Southee’s record that took place in the same venue but against Uganda in this edition.
New Zealand however, will remain disappointed with their performances in the tournament as they have been unable to qualify for the Super 8 stages. They have let the likes of Afghanistan and West Indies take the top two spots in the group.
The Kiwis, however, will look to end their campaign on a high as they look to go for a massive win as it will be the final game of their star pacer, Trent Boult who will not play in the T20 World Cups any more.
PNG has struggled to keep up against the quality pace-attack of the Kiwis as they were bowled out for just 78 runs with the likes of Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Boult picking two wickets each and Mitchell Santner taking the solitary wicket along with Ferguson’s three scalps.
Lockie Ferguson (3/0) created history with the most economical spell in T20Is as New Zealand signed off from the World Cup with a seven-wicket hammering of Papua New Guinea here on Monday.
Ferguson recorded a dream spell of 4-4-0-3 as New Zealand shot out a lowly PNG for a mere 78 in 19.4 overs and overhauled the target with 46 balls to spare, scoring 79 for three in 12.2 overs.
Ferguson joined Canada skipper Saad Bin Zafar as only the second bowler in T20I history to have sent down each of the allotted four overs to a bowler as maiden, returning figures of 4-4-0-3 after the latter recorded 4-4-0-2.
One of the most consistent teams in ICC tournaments, New Zealand thus bowed out of this T20 World Cup with Group stage wins over Oman (nine wickets) and PNG, having earlier lost to Afghanistan (84 runs) and the co-hosts West Indies (13 runs) which led to their early elimination.
