Lockie Ferguson made history on Monday, June 17, becoming the first man in the history of men's T20 cricket to bowl a four-over spell, picking up more than two wickets without conceding a run. Ferguson achieved this remarkable feat against Papua New Guinea (PNG) in their Group C match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Brian Lara Stadium.
Brought in as a first-change bowler after senior bowlers Trent Boult and Tim Southee opened the attack, Ferguson made an immediate impact. He picked up a wicket with the first delivery of his spell, dismissing PNG captain Asad Vala, who was caught in the slip cordon.
Ferguson's performance stands as the most economical bowling figure in the nine-edition history of the men's T20 World Cup. He became only the second bowler to bowl four maidens in a T20I, after Saad Bin Zafar of Canada, who achieved the feat against Panama in November 2021.
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Most Economical Spells in T20I Cricket:
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Match | Year |
|---|
| Lockie Ferguson | 4 | 0 | 3 | New Zealand vs. Papua New Guinea | 2024 |
| Saad Bin Zafar | 4 | 0 | 2 | Canada vs. Panama | 2021 |
| Nuwan Kulasekara | 2 | 0 | 1 | Sri Lanka vs. Netherlands | 2014 |
In his subsequent overs, Ferguson dismissed Charles Amini, who was looking strong with a 25-ball 17, and Chad Soper for 1, disturbing the woodwork of the lower middle-order batter. Ferguson's efforts were complemented by Boult and Southee, who picked up two wickets each. Boult, playing his final T20 World Cup match, conceded just 14 runs in his four-over spell.
Despite their early exit from the tournament after losses to West Indies and Afghanistan, New Zealand showed resilience in their final match. They bundled out PNG for 78, with Ferguson, Boult, and Southee sharing seven wickets. Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner chipped in with three wickets between them.
