Lockie Ferguson etched his name in T20I history with a remarkable economical spell as New Zealand concluded their T20 World Cup campaign with a resounding seven-wicket triumph over Papua New Guinea on Monday. Ferguson’s dream spell of 4-4-0-3, consisting of four consecutive maiden overs, proved to be a game-changer, as New Zealand bowled out PNG for a meager 78 runs in 19.4 overs. The Kiwis then chased down the target with ease, reaching 79 for three in 12.2 overs, securing a comfortable victory with 46 balls to spare.
Ferguson’s feat placed him alongside Canada skipper Saad Bin Zafar (4-4-0-2) as the only bowlers in T20I history to deliver all four allotted overs as maidens. New Zealand, known for their consistency in ICC tournaments, bowed out of this World Cup with group stage wins over Oman (nine wickets) and PNG, having earlier suffered losses to Afghanistan (84 runs) and the co-host West Indies (13 runs), leading to their early elimination.
In a similar vein to Oman in Group B, PNG faced defeat in all four of their Group C fixtures. The PNG batters were left in disarray by the Kiwi bowlers, with Ferguson leading the charge. However, PNG put up a valiant fight, with Kabua Morea proving to be a formidable opponent. Morea managed to dismiss Finn Allen (0) on the second ball of the chase and also trapped Rachin Ravindra (6) at deep midwicket in the third over.
Devon Conway’s aggressive knock of 35 runs off 32 balls, featuring three sixes and two fours, laid the foundation for New Zealand’s victory. Skipper Kane Williamson (18) and Daryl Mitchell (19) guided the team home with a composed partnership. Earlier, the Kiwi bowlers successfully restricted the PNG batsmen, limiting their scoring opportunities. The first half of the innings saw only four boundaries, a testament to the tight bowling display. Trent Boult (2/14), playing in his final T20 World Cup match, started with a two-run over, but it was Tim Southee (2/11) who drew first blood, dismissing opener Tony Ura at deep backward point.
While Boult failed to secure a wicket with the new ball, Ferguson struck on his very first delivery, having PNG skipper Assad Vala caught at first slip for six runs. Ferguson’s relentless pressure on the opposition batters resulted in PNG failing to score a single run off his first three overs. The right-arm pacer continued his dominance, trapping Charles Amini (17) in front of the wickets for his third scalp.
Mitchell Santner (1/17) halted the progress of Sese Bay (12) by having him caught by Finn Allen at long on. Santner lured Bay into a false shot, but the connection was mishit. Ferguson, still without conceding a run, found an inside edge off Chad Soper (1) after Soper attempted a reckless shot, resulting in the ball bouncing awkwardly away from his pads. Ferguson concluded his remarkable spell without conceding a single run, joining Zafar in the exclusive club of bowlers who have bowled four consecutive maiden overs in T20I history. Zafar achieved this feat in November 2021 against Panama in the T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier.
Boult returned to the attack and claimed his first wicket of the match, cleaning up Hiri Hiri (7). Southee, in the following over, removed wicketkeeper-batter Kiplin Doriga (5) from the equation. Ish Sodhi (2/29), who had toiled for wickets in his first three overs, grabbed a couple of wickets in the last over to wrap up the PNG innings. This victory served as a fitting end to New Zealand’s T20 World Cup campaign, showcasing their dominance in the shortest format of the game. Ferguson’s historic maiden spell will undoubtedly be remembered as a highlight of the tournament.
