New Zealand wrapped up their ICC T20 World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, hammering Papua New Guinea by a comfortable seven-wicket margin on Monday, June 17th. The match, played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago, marked the final contest of Group C (match 39). (Hightlights|Cricket News)
Lockie Ferguson's bowling performance was the icing on the cake, etching his name in the history books. He produced the most economical spell in T20 World Cup history, conceding a miserly zero runs while taking three crucial wickets in his four overs. This dominant display capped off a strong performance by New Zealand, ensuring they signed off from the tournament on a winning note.
The match began with a delay in the toss due to rain, after which New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl first. NZ's bowling attack not only proved formidable but also set a record. Lockie Ferguson (3/0) delivered the most economical spell in T20I history as New Zealand dismissed Papua New Guinea for just 78 runs in their last Group C World Cup encounter.
Ferguson joined Canada skipper Saad Bin Zafar as only the second bowler in T20I history to bowl all four overs as maidens, finishing with figures of 4-4-0-3, after Zafar's 4-4-0-2.
The Kiwis effectively kept Papua New Guinea's batsmen tied up, keeping them restricted and contained for most of their innings, which concluded in 19.4 overs. The first half of their innings saw the ball finding the boundary ropes only four times.
Spotlight was on Trent Boult as he was his T20 World Cup farewell match. Boult started (2/14) with a two-run first over, while Tim Southee (2/11) made the breakthrough by dismissing PNG opener Tony Ura caught at deep backward point.
Although Boult didn't claim any wickets with the new ball, Lockie Ferguson struck immediately, getting PNG skipper Assad Vala caught at wide first slip for six on his very first delivery. Ferguson's relentless pressure prevented PNG from scoring off his first three overs.
Then again Boult came back into the attack for his first wicket of the contest to clean up Hiri Hiri (7).
The 33-year-old pacer finished his spell without having conceded a run. thus became the first bowler in T20 World Cup history to bowl all four of his quota overs without conceding a single run. Ferguson also claimed three wickets to register a seemingly unmatchable figures of 3/0. A spell which became the most economical over in T20 history.
Papua New Guinea made the Kiwis work hard, Kabua Morea in the second innings. Morea struck early, dismissing Finn Allen for a duck on the second ball and then Rachin Ravindra (6) in the third over with a catch at deep midwicket.
However, Devon Conway took control for New Zealand, smashing three sixes and two fours in a quickfire 32-ball 35. This laid the foundation for the chase, with skipper Kane Williamson (18) and Daryl Mitchell (19) guiding the Black Caps home without further trouble. (Scorecard)
