Lockie Ferguson Unlocks Elite 50 T20I Wickets Milestone With Glenn Maxwell's Success
Lockie Ferguson in action vs AUS (X.com)
Lockie Ferguson, the fiery fast bowler from New Zealand, achieved a significant milestone in his T20I career by surpassing the 50-wicket mark in international cricket's shortest format, with Glenn Maxwell being his 50th victim.
As New Zealand clashed with Australia in the first T20I of the five-game series, the Kiwis unleashed carnage to post a mammoth total of 215 runs on board in the first inning on an absolutely flat dead pitch.
However, the mighty Aussies didn't relent and posed a brave fight in the chase. After putting up 100 runs inside the first ten overs of the chase, Australia lost Travis Head and David Warner against the run of play.
Regardless, the big man Glenn Maxwell carried forward the momentum and slammed 25 runs of a mere 11 deliveries before Kiwi speedster Lockie Ferguson played spoilsport.
In the 11th over, Ferguson breached through the wide gap between bat and pad of Maxwell and cleaned up the batter's stump to end his stay on the crease.
That happened to be Ferguson's 50th wicket of his T20I career, and the bowler entered an elite list of players to do so.
That being said, Lockie Ferguson's milestone comes as no surprise to those familiar with his bowling prowess. His ability to consistently clock speeds in excess of 145 km/h makes him a genuine threat to batsmen, particularly in the powerplay overs where his aggressive approach often yields early breakthroughs.
Though injuries have played spoilsport, the speedster managed to fight his way back every time.
Undoubtedly, Lockie Ferguson is an absolute match-winner for New Zealand, and his comeback would only boost the Kiwi's confidence ahead of the pivotal T20 World Cup.
Ferguson's performance will surely be closely monitored by the New Zealand Cricket Board throughout the ongoing series against Australia and the upcoming IPL season.