Cricket

Lockie Ferguson's Hat-Trick Seals New Zealand's Victory in Low-Scoring ThrillerNew Zealand's Lockie Ferguson unleashed a devastating spell on Sunday, claiming a hat-trick to help his team defend their lowest-ever target in men's T20I cricket. Facing a modest total of 108 against Sri Lanka in Dambulla, Ferguson's fiery bowling proved decisive in securing a thrilling five-run victory.After the Kiwis were dismissed for a paltry 108, Ferguson stepped up with a two-over spell that turned the tide of the match. His first victim was Kusal Perera, who edged a yorker to wicketkeeper Mitch Hay on the final ball of the Powerplay.In the following over, Ferguson struck twice in quick succession. Kamindu Mendis was trapped lbw by a 143kph delivery, while Charith Asalanka was caught down the leg side, handing Ferguson a hat-trick. The 33-year-old became the sixth Kiwi bowler to achieve the feat in T20Is.Ferguson's hat-trick shattered Sri Lanka's hopes of chasing down the target. Only three Lankan batters managed double-digit scores, as New Zealand's bowlers kept the pressure on throughout the innings. Off-spinner Glenn Phillips also chipped in with three wickets for the BlackCaps.Ferguson's exceptional performance earned him figures of 2-0-7-3, while Phillips finished with 3-1-13-3. The victory marked New Zealand's first in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.

The upcoming third season of the International League T20 (ILT20) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to witness a star-studded lineup of T20 specialists making their debuts. Among them are New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman, West Indies wicketkeeper-batter Shai Hope, Guyanese all-rounder Romario Shepherd, England opener Jason Roy, and Afghanistan batter Ibrahim Zadran.Ferguson, who recently declined a national contract, has been signed by Desert Vipers. The Kiwi pacer has been in impressive T20 form, delivering four maidens in a T20I and taking ten wickets in seven games for Washington Freedom in the MLC. He will join left-arm quicks Mohammad Amir and Luke Wood at Vipers.Fakhar Zaman will also join Vipers, while Adam Milne will link up with Sharjah Warriors. Milne will reunite with New Zealand teammate Tim Seifert, who has also turned down a domestic contract to pursue franchise T20 opportunities.Dubai Capitals have signed Hope, who made his IPL debut earlier this year. The West Indian will captain the team in the absence of Imran Tahir. Former Australia batter Joe Burns and Sri Lankan slinger Garuka Sanketh are also among Capitals' new signings.Abu Dhabi Knight Riders have welcomed Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, who was part of Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL title-winning squad, and Terrance Hinds. Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran and Wahidullah Zadran have joined Gulf Giants.MI Emirates have signed Shepherd, who will reunite with Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo. Italian batter Thomas Draca will also join the team.The third season of the ILT20 will be played from January 11 to February 9, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah.

Lockie Ferguson's Record-Breaking Spell Powers New Zealand to VictoryIn a remarkable display of bowling prowess, New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson etched his name into the history books with an unprecedented spell in a T20 International against Papua New Guinea. The right-arm pacer produced the most economical 4-over spell in T20I history, conceding a mere 4 runs while claiming 3 wickets.Ferguson's spell was a masterclass in accuracy and control. He bowled an astonishing 24 dot balls, denying the PNG batsmen any scoring opportunities. His victims included Lega Siaka, Charles Amini, and Damien Ravu, who were all dismissed for single-digit scores.Ferguson's performance surpassed the previous record held by Canada's Saad Bin Zafar, who had figures of 4-4-0-2 against Panama in 2021. It also became the best-ever spell (in terms of economy) at the T20 World Cup, eclipsing the previous mark set by Tim Southee (3/4) against Uganda in the same tournament.Ferguson's heroics helped New Zealand bowl out Papua New Guinea for a paltry 78 runs in 19.4 overs. The PNG batsmen struggled to cope with Ferguson's pace and accuracy, and they were unable to build any meaningful partnerships.Charles Amini was the only PNG batsman to reach double figures, scoring 17 runs. Trent Boult, Tim Southee, and Ish Sodhi also chipped in with two wickets each for New Zealand.With the victory, New Zealand finished their T20 World Cup campaign on a high note. Ferguson's record-breaking spell will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most dominant performances in the history of the format.