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New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson (4-4-0-3) stunned the cricket fraternity and fans on Monday (June 17) by delivering four maidens and taking three wickets in Match #39 of T20 World Cup 2024 against Papua New Guinea (PNG). He became only the second bowler to bowl four maidens in T20Is after Canada's Saad Bin Zafar, who finished with figures of 4-4-0-2 against Panama in the T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier game in Coolidge in 2021.
Ferguson came into the attack in the fifth over and delivered 24 dot balls while dismissing Assad Vala (6), Charles Amini (17) and Chad Soper (1). His effort resulted in PNG getting bundled out for 78. In response, the Blackcaps chased down the score with 7.4 overs to spare.
Let's take a look at the top three expert reactions to Lockie Ferguson's exploits against PNG in the T20 World Cup 2024 clash.
Top 3 expert reactions to Lockie Ferguson's spell vs PNG in T20 World Cup 2024
#1 "It will be hard to break that record" - Tom Moody
Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody expressed his amazement at Ferguson's immaculate figures and felt his Kiwi teammates were also helpful in creating the record for the pacer.
Furthermore, Moody said it will be tough for any bowler to match this record in the shortest format of the game.
Here's what the 58-year-old said in an interview with ESPNcricinfo:
"Quite a remarkable performance from him today, with those four overs picking up three wickets and not going for one solitary run and it was so interesting to watch because every single New Zealander on the field knew exactly what was coming in in that last over and everyone was desperate to try to keep that opportunity of a world record intact."
He added:
"Now obviously Lockie has captured that, it's going to be hard to sort of see that record broken, at any any stage because it was a world class performance. Yes, it was in conditions that were helpful, but he took full advantage of those conditions and bowled exceptionally well."
#2 Michael Vaughan in disbelief that a bowler can bowl four maidens
In a post-match analysis on Cricbuzz Live, Michael Vaughan and Dinesh Karthik shared their thoughts on Lockie Ferguson's miraculous spell. According to Vaughan, it's nearly impossible to deliver four maidens in the T20 format because of the batters slashing their blade at everything.
Here's what the former England captain said:
"I just can't believe that a bowler can ball four overs and not go for a run in T20 cricket. Surely edge can go down to third-man or you know, the inside edge off the bat can go on the leg side. But, remarkable from Lockie Ferguson, with figures of three for none."
Meanwhile, co-panelist Dinesh Karthik felt it was a phenomenal effort from Ferguson to bowl four maidens but also opined that it's hard for PNG batters to face such a high quality bowling attack.
Watch the interaction below:
#3 "Rarity of achievement" - Wasim Jaffer hails Lockie Ferguson's performance
Former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer took to X to applaud Lockie Ferguson's efforts that resulted in New Zealand dominating the PNG team.
Jaffer compared it to Sunil Narine's wicket-maiden in the Super Over during a Caribbean Premier League game in 2014 and Yuvraj Singh's six sixes in the 2007 T20 World Cup against England pacer Stuart Broad.
Playing for Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, Narine defended 11 runs in the Super Over against Guyana Amazon Warriors, while dismissing Nicholas Pooran.
Meanwhile, Yuvraj Singh's six sixes on the trot were instrumental in taking India to the semi-finals of the showpiece event, which India won as they beat Pakistan in the final.
