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The express pacer ran riot to get rid of the Sri Lankan middle order and help the Kiwis get back in the game, which ended up being a low-scoring thriller.
Lockie Ferguson’s hat-trick helped New Zealand get back in the contest. (Image: AP)
New Zealand pacer, Lockie Ferguson was on the money as he picked up a hat-trick during the 2nd T20I against Sri Lanka on Sunday at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in Dambulla.
The express pacer ran riot to get rid of the Sri Lankan middle order and help the Kiwis get back in the game, which ended up being a low-scoring thriller.
In the final ball of the powerplay, he picked up his first scalp by getting rid of Kusal Perera with a fast yorker. The batter looked to squeeze out but got the edge, which went to the hands of the keeper, who dove to his left to take the catch.
Ferguson continued his spell in the eighth over and struck on the first ball to get rid of the in-form Kamindu Mendis with another 140+ kph delivery. Another fiery yorker but this time, ended up crashing onto the pads to get the leg-before wicket.
The fast bowler pulled back his length a bit and went just outside the leg-stump line but the Sri Lankan skipper, Charith Asalanka who looked to flick it away, ended up nicking it to the keeper as Ferguson completed his hat-trick.
Despite Ferguson’s triple-strike, the match went down to the wire. With contributions from the likes of Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Maheesh Theekshana, the game went down to the final over where eight runs were needed in the final over.
But Glenn Phillips managed to pull off an epic final over where he picked up three wickets to help bundle out the hosts for just 103 runs and secure the win by 5 runs and thus level the series.
Ferguson ended up winning the Player of the Match award and now the focus shifts to the three-match ODI series which will begin from November 13 through to November 19.
