On the eve of another Twenty20 World Cup, Black Caps fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has no plans to make sure this year鈥檚 tournament in India is his last.
At 34, and having not played for the Black Caps at all in 2025 due to injury, Ferguson is now the same age that Trent Boult was when he declared the last T20 World Cup was his final time wearing the black cap.
Like many of his teammates who have helped make this the most successful era of New Zealand cricket, Ferguson鈥檚 career now has more yesterdays than tomorrows.
As one of few bowlers in the world able to consistently hit 150km/h with the ball, Ferguson is a rare commodity for the Black Caps. In 43 T20s for his country, he鈥檚 taken 64 wickets at an average of just 17 鈥 albeit with significant strain on his body in the decade since his first international.
The complicating factor of the modern game, though, is that with world tournaments every year until 2031 at the earliest, it鈥檚 getting harder for players to plot when they might call time on their careers 鈥 with the next pinnacle event already on the horizon as the current one ends.
But with less than a month until the Black Caps begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Afghanistan in India, Ferguson is adamant retirement is far from his thinking.
鈥淚 love playing for New Zealand, I鈥檓 very vocal about that,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such a great group 鈥 what we鈥檙e building now is fantastic.
鈥淚 still feel fit, I still feel like I鈥檓 contributing. If there鈥檚 ever a day and I鈥檓 not contributing to a win, or I don鈥檛 think I鈥檓 deserving of playing I鈥檒l put my boots on the wall.
鈥淎t this stage, I still think I鈥檓 one of the best. I鈥檓 certainly ready to perform at a World Cup and looking forward to it.鈥
Not long after the last T20 World Cup, Ferguson was one of five players to opt out of a central contract with New Zealand Cricket, and position himself as a freelancer in the shortest format.
Black Caps coach Rob Walter is confident Lockie Ferguson (centre) will be fit despite being under an injury cloud. Photo / Photosport
And while his desire to play for his country has never dwindled, Ferguson has since travelled the world for stints in England, Australia, India, the UAE and even the USA since last pulling on a black jersey.
In early 2025, he was named in New Zealand鈥檚 squad for the Champions Trophy, but was forced out at the last minute by a foot injury.
This time around, Ferguson is hoping history doesn鈥檛 repeat. When the 15-man group for this year鈥檚 T20 World Cup was named earlier this month, Ferguson had not one, but two asterisks next to his name.
The first was for a calf injury that saw him miss the end of the UAE鈥檚 ILT20 and all of Australia鈥檚 Big Bash for the Sydney Thunder. More importantly, the second asterisk means he鈥檒l have to leave India early to make it home to New Zealand for February 20 for the birth of his first child.
If all goes to plan, Ferguson would likely have to return home after the Black Caps鈥 pool match against Canada on February 17 in Chennai, before the start of the Super Eight stage on February 22 鈥 if New Zealand qualify.
Leaving for India, where the Black Caps warm up for the World Cup with five T20s against their hosts, Ferguson also asserts that he鈥檚 on track for the start of the tournament, and has been bowling off his full run in the nets for the past week.
Elsewhere, Ferguson also has his eye on next year鈥檚 50-over World Cup in South Africa. Since his debut in 2016, Ferguson has managed 65 games for 99 wickets, including a starring role in New Zealand鈥檚 2019 World Cup heartbreak.
鈥淚 love 50-over cricket,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 where I made my name, more than T20.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting that we鈥檝e got a World Cup coming up. At this stage, as you can imagine, it鈥檚 very much a tournament by tournament thing.
鈥淏ut I鈥檓 loving my cricket. I鈥檓 still very motivated off the park. I had a tough year last year, but at the same time I鈥檝e got a good support network around me.
鈥淚鈥檓 feeling fit and ready to go.鈥
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.
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