One of the fastest bowlers going around in international cricket, Lockie Ferguson celebrates his 29th birthday on Saturday (June 13, 2020). The right-arm pacer can swing the ball both way and his ability to deliver yorkers and bouncers at will makes him a captain’s delight. Making his international debut in December 2016, the speedster didn’t take long in cementing his place in the side. He also played a crucial role in guiding New Zealand to the finals in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Below, we’ll have a look at some of his lesser-known facts. Lockie Ferguson Clears COVID-19 Test After 24-Hour Isolation, Says 'It Was a Very Mild Cold'.

In modern-day cricket, many pacers tend to lower down the pace after suffering from injuries. However, that hasn’t been the case with Ferguson. Despite being injury-prone, the talismanic pacer is always determined to touch the 150-kmph mark. Talking about his stint in the 2019 World Cup, he was Kane Williamson’s go-to bowler throughout the tournament. Ferguson was introduced in the attack whenever a partnership built up and more often than not, he delivered. In fact, the trio of Ferguson, Matt Henry and Trent Boult made arguably the best pace attack in the tournament. As the star pacer, turns a year older, let’s look at some of his lesser-known facts. Coronavirus Free New Zealand to Host ICC T20 World Cup or IPL 2020 and Other Neutral Bilateral Cricket Series'?

  1. Lockie Ferguson Was Born On June 13, 2020, In Auckland, New Zealand

  2. He made his debut on 16 December, 2016, In an ODI match Against Australia

  3. Ferguson is the second bowler to claim wickets in his first two deliveries of T20I cricket

  4. He was the part of the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant team which reached the 2017 IPL final

  5. With 21 wickets, the pacer was the second-highest wicket-taker in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019

  6. The speedster also got a place in the combined team of the tournament announced by ICC

  7. Ferguson is ranked ninth in the latest ICC ODI bowler’s ranking

The right-arm quick was last seen during the 1st ODI played between Australia and New Zealand earlier this year. New Zealand lost the game by 71 runs and the rest of the tour was called off owing to the COVID-19 crisis. His next assignment was set to get underway with the start of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 where he would have represented the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). However, the T20 extravaganza was also called off owing to the global health scare. Nevertheless, the ongoing year could be very crucial for the pacer as he will play a vital role if the ICC T20 World Cup goes as per plan.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 13, 2020 09:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).