Ferguson joins elite list of NZ bowlers

Lockie Ferguson celebrates a dismissal with teammates (Pic courtesy SLC)

New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson joined a select band of players as he picked up a hat-trick early in Sri Lanka’s run-chase in the second T20I at Dambulla.

After being bowled out for just 108, New Zealand put up a strong fight to defend the target with Ferguson picking up a hat-trick across two overs.

Ferguson sent back Kusal Perera off the final ball of the sixth over and then went on to dismiss Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka off back-to-back deliveries in the eighth over to complete his hat-trick.

It was the second time this year that Ferguson has produced a superb spell, with the right-armer collecting eye-catching figures of three wickets for no runs from four overs against Papua New Guinea at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June.

Ferguson also became the fifth New Zealand bowler to pick up a Men’s T20I hat-trick after Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, Michael Bracewell and Matt Henry. While Oram and Southee were the second and third bowlers to pick up Men’s T20I hat-tricks, Bracewell took his in 2022 and Henry in 2023 against Pakistan. 

Southee also took another hat-trick in 2022 against India. 
(ICC)