NZ vs PNG: Lockie Ferguson creates history with unprecedented four maidens in T20 World Cup

New Zealand are playing against Papua New Guinea in match 39 of the ongoing T20 World Cup. In the T20 World Cup's history, pacer Lockie Ferguson of New Zealand have broken an unbreakable mark. In his team's match against PNG on June 17 in the USA and West Indies 2024 World Cup, the fast bowler from New Zealand accomplished a feat that no one else has ever been able to in the tournament's history.

Ferguson has made history by being the first bowler in a T20 World Cup to bowl a match's whole four overs as a maiden. He achieved the incredible achievement at Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad, during his team's last tournament matchup versus PNG.

On the first ball of the game, Ferguson took a wicket and sent the captain, Assad Vala, out for six. Ferguson's quickness presented considerable challenges for the PNG hitters, who were unprepared for a much superior opponent in New Zealand.

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After the Powerplay, Ferguson carried on from the other end and continued to mix up his lengths to cause problems for the hitter, bowling another maiden, this time to Sese Bau. When Ferguson returned in the twelfth over, he made an immediate impression once more, dismissing Charles Amini for 17 on his second ball.

Two runs were scored off the third ball in his fourth over, but they were leg-byes, therefore they were not included in Ferguson's final total. Eventually, he achieved the amazing feat in the shortest format by dismissing Chad Soper for 1 and bowling a fourth maiden.

Saad Bin Zafar of Canada was the first bowler to bowl four maidens in a T20 International; Ferguson became the second bowler in T20I history to achieve this feat. In a T20 World Cup qualifier against Panama, he attained this milestone. Ferguson has now surpassed Zafar's record of two wickets taken during his bowling spell with three dismissals.

Trent Boult, the team's top pacer, announced ahead of their last Twenty20 International match against PNG that he will be retiring after the World Cup. The Kiwis' performance had been poor overall, as they had already been eliminated from the competition. Afghanistan and the West Indies were the teams the Kane Williamson-led team lost to in its group, confirming its early elimination from the competition.