Lockie Ferguson’s Historic Feat in T20I Cricket
New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson made history in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 by becoming the second player to bowl four maiden overs in a T20I match. This remarkable achievement took place during New Zealand’s final group stage match against Papua New Guinea at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad, on June 17. Ferguson’s exceptional performance was crucial in restricting Papua New Guinea to a low total.
New Zealand’s Dominant Bowling Performance
New Zealand opted to bowl first after winning the toss, and their bowlers delivered a tight performance from the start. Veteran pacer Tim Southee set the tone by dismissing PNG opener Tony Ura for just one run in the second over. Ferguson joined the attack in the fifth over, immediately making an impact by removing Assad Vala for six runs. By the end of the first powerplay, PNG struggled at 16/2. The New Zealand bowlers maintained pressure throughout the innings, limiting PNG to just 78 runs in their 20 overs.
Ferguson’s Record-Breaking Spell
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Lockie Ferguson’s spell was the highlight of the match. He bowled his first over as a maiden, removing Vala on the first delivery. His disciplined bowling continued in the seventh over, where he bowled another maiden. Returning for the 12th over, Ferguson dismissed Charles Amini for 17 runs and secured a wicket-maiden. In his final over, the 14th, he bowled Chad Soper and conceded only two runs as leg byes. With this, Ferguson joined Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar as the only bowlers to achieve four maiden overs in a T20I match, and he became the first from a test-playing nation to do so.
Saad Bin Zafar’s Historic Achievement
Saad Bin Zafar was the first player to bowl four maiden overs in a T20I match, achieving this feat on November 14, 2021, during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Region qualifying match between Canada and Panama. The left-arm spinner’s historic spell included two wickets. He dismissed D Ahir in the 11th over and M. Sohel Patel in the 13th over, leading Canada to a dominant performance. Zafar’s record stood unchallenged until Ferguson matched it in 2024.
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