Lockie Ferguson became the fifth New Zealand cricketer to take a T20I hattrick on Sunday. The Kiwi pacer’s feat came against Sri Lanka in the second T20I in Dambulla. Before Ferguson; Jacob Oram (2009), Tim Southee (2010, 2022), Michael Bracewell (2022) and Matt Henry (2023) took hattricks for New Zealand.
Defending 109 runs, New Zealand struck early with Mitchell Santner dismissing Kusal Mendis in the third over. Ferguson, who came into the attack in the last over of the powerplay, dismissed Kusal Perera on the last ball of the over.
The right-hander pacer came again in the eighth over and got rid of Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka in the first two balls to achieve the milestone. Pathum Nissanka fought the lone battle with a valiant 52-run knock off 51 balls but lacked support from his teammates as Sri Lanka fell short by five runs. With this win New Zealand levelled the series 1-1.
While Ferguson finished with 3/7 in his two overs, Glenn Phillps took 3/6 in less than two overs. Michael Bracewell also scalped two wickets. Earlier, Will Young (30) and Josh Clarkson (24) were New Zealand’s two top-scorers as the Kiwis managed 108 all out in 19.3 overs.
For the hosts, leg-spinner Wanindu Hararanga and pacer Matheesha Pathirana combined for seven wickets between them. Hararanga finished with 4/17 and Pathirana grabbed 3/11. The 108 runs defended by New Zealand is the lowest total they have ever successfully defended in a T20I.
Meanwhile, all-rounder Santner completed 3,000 international runs during his 19-run knock. He smashed two boundaries and was dismissed by Pathirana. Now in 239 matches, he has scored 3,006 runs at an average of 22.94, with a century and seven fifties in 191 innings.
Post T20I series, New Zealand will play three ODIs against Sri Lanka. Dambulla will host the first game before both teams go to Pallekele for the remaining two games.
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