An impressive hat-trick from Ferguson stuns Sri Lanka as New Zealand defends their 108-point lead

New Zealand’s cricketers put on another outstanding display a few days after the men’s Test squad finished a series thumping against India, and about three weeks after the women’s team won the T20 World Cup. This time, they defended a modest total of 108 on a challenging but far from unplayable surface in Dambulla, showcasing their resilience and skill. Despite a calf injury limiting Lockie Ferguson to just two overs, he made a decisive impact by claiming a hat-trick and dismantling Sri Lanka’s top order with figures of 3 for 7.

Key to New Zealand’s remarkable win was Glenn Phillips, who, despite scoring only 4 runs earlier, stepped up in the final over to claim three vital wickets. Among them was the prized scalp of Pathum Nissanka, who had anchored Sri Lanka’s innings with a composed 52 off 50 balls. Nissanka’s attempt to clear long-on off Phillips resulted in his dismissal, effectively ending Sri Lanka’s chase.

New Zealand’s bowling unit was relentless in maintaining pressure. Zakary Foulkes, Mitchell Santner, and Michael Bracewell applied consistent brakes on the Sri Lankan batting lineup, extracting errors born out of frustration. The match was a historic one for New Zealand, as it marked their lowest-ever total defended in T20Is. Only twice before have Full Member teams failed to chase down such a small target, making this victory even more notable.

After lowering New Zealand to 52 for 6 in the eleventh over, Sri Lanka briefly appeared to be guaranteed to win. However, New Zealand managed to scrape together a seemingly underwhelming score through contributions from Will Young (30), Josh Clarkson (24), and Santner (19), each scoring at less than a run-a-ball.

Wanindu Hasaranga, despite battling a leg injury, delivered a stunning bowling display earlier, taking key wickets with his leg-spin and showcasing sharp googlies and classical deliveries. His efforts included dismissing Phillips and Bracewell and contributing to a sharp stumping that removed Young. However, his brilliance wasn’t enough to secure victory for Sri Lanka, as New Zealand leveled the series 1-1 with a memorable win.