New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson made history in T20 cricket by delivering the most economical spell ever recorded in the format during a match against Papua New Guinea (PNG) at the T20 World Cup. Ferguson bowled four overs, taking three wickets without conceding a single run, making him the second bowler in T20 International history to achieve this feat, following Saad Bin Zafar.
Ferguson's remarkable performance contributed significantly to New Zealand's dominant 7-wicket victory over PNG in their final group-stage match. His wickets included PNG's captain Assad Vala, Charles Amini, and Chad Soper. With Ferguson’s outstanding spell, New Zealand managed to restrict PNG to a mere 78 runs in 19.4 overs.
Before this, the record for the most economical spell in a T20 World Cup was held by Ferguson's teammate, Tim Southee, who conceded only four runs in a match against Uganda. Additionally, Uganda’s veteran spinner Frank Nsubuga, aged 43, had an impressive spell earlier in the tournament, giving away just four runs and taking two wickets against PNG.
Most economical 4-over spells in T20 World Cup (men’s):
Despite Ferguson's historic performance, New Zealand's campaign in the T20 World Cup ended in the group stages. The Black Caps started the tournament with consecutive losses to West Indies and Afghanistan but secured a victory against Uganda before finishing with a win over PNG. New Zealand, a formidable team known for reaching the semifinals three times and being runners-up in the 2021 edition, were among the notable teams knocked out in the group stages this year.