Lockie Ferguson snares hat-trick to join elite list of New Zealand bowlers
Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson picked up a hat-trick early in Sri Lanka's run-chase in Dambulla in the second T20I.
After being bowled out for just 108, New Zealand put up a strong fight to defend the target with Lockie 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 3/0 from four overs against Papua New Guinea at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in June.
Every delivery of Lockie Ferguson's incredible spell | T20WC2
Earlier, Sri Lanka were led by Wanindu Hasaranga's brilliant spell as New Zealand struggled to put together partnerships.
Hasaranga picked up four wickets while Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara took three and two apiece to play a major part in New Zealand's struggling innings.
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What seemed like a regulation run-chase soon turned interesting as Ferguson rushed through the Sri Lankan middle-order to reduce them to 34/4.
With the skipper Asalanka dismissed for a duck, the pressure was on Sri Lanka despite the low target.
Ferguson 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.