Dambulla (Sri Lanka): Lockie Ferguson bowled an impressive spell in the fixture against Sri Lanka and helped the national side defend their lowest T20I score on Sunday. The Blackcaps emerged triumphant by five runs as a result of successfully defending a paltry total of 108 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla.
The previous lowest score defended by the Kiwis was 120 in May 2010 against New Zealand in Lauderhill. With the win, New Zealand levelled the series 1-1 with a four-wicket defeat.
3 WICKETS IN THE FINAL OVER! 😯
— ICC (@ICC) November 10, 2024
Glenn Phillips delivers a terrific over to seal a thrilling win for New Zealand 🔥#SLvNZ: https://t.co/irRxEmCsQQ pic.twitter.com/ZBETDHuE0X
New Zealand were asked to bat first and their batter had no answers to the questions asked by Wanindu Hasaranga. His prolific spell in the start reduced the team to 52/6 but Will Young played a valiant knock of 30 runs to help the team cross the 100-run mark. Hasaranga picked four wickets while Matheesha Pathirana scalped three wickets to wrap up the New Zealand innings on a low score.
An easy chase looked on the cards but the duo of Glenn Phillips and Lockie Ferguson were brilliant with their bowling taking three wickets each. Pathum Nissanka scored a half-century but only two other batters scored in the double digits. Ferguson picked a hattrick by taking a wicket on the last delivery of the sixth over and then followed it up with the first two balls of the seventh over.
New Zealand defend their lowest target in a men's T20I 👏
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 10, 2024
🔗 https://t.co/Rx0MbVsGUq | #SLvNZ pic.twitter.com/IFtnyis4YM
Interestingly, the match went down the wire as Sri Lanka needed just eight runs to win from the last over. Phillips bowled the last over and he got rid of Nissanka, Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara to help the team secure a win.
Also, New Zealand wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay became the first player to six fielding dismissals in T20Is.
