Published: Feb 11, 2020, 02:06 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 11, 2020, 02:06 PM (IST)
New Zealand’s batting mainstay in limited-overs format Martin Guptill showed all his class and belligerent stroke-making during the third and final ODI at Bay Oval on Tuesday to scale massive feat. Chasing a stiff total of 297 to complete the whitewash versus India, Guptill scored a blistering half-century off just 29 balls to set the tempo early on. During his 66-run knock, he surpassed former opener Nathan Astle to become New Zealand’s most prolific opener in one-day internationals.
The 33-year-old provided the hosts a flying start in the chase as he clobbered the Indian bowlers to all parts of the ground. He scored his runs at an impressive strike-rate of 143.48. Guptill smashed six boundaries and four maximums in his 46-ball knock.
Most runs as an opener for New Zealand (ODIs)
6178 Martin Guptill*
6176 Nathan Astle
3604 John Wright
3363 Brendon Mccullum
3280 Stephen Fleming
After an average show in the T20I series versus India, Guptill roared back to form in the ODIs with back-to-back fifties in Auckland and Mount Maunganui. Batting first, he played a solid knock of 79 to power NZ to a decent score which they later defending to clinch the series.
Martin Guptill brings up fifty with a confident pull shot for six a shot reflective of his marvellous form today!#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/2dxp1oJ46f
ICC (@ICC) February 11, 2020
In the 3rd ODI, Guptill looked set for a big hundred but his innings was cut-short by Yuzvendra Chahal who snared his wicket with a peach of a delivery in the 17th over of NZ innings. Chahal bowled a perfect leg-break that drifted across the right-hander and lands near the leg stump, Guptill prods forward and closed the bat face early as the ball spins past his willow and hits the top of off-stump.
Earlier, KL Rahul struck his fourth career century to rescue the Indian innings from a precarious position and take it to a challenging 296 for 7 in the final ODI against New Zealand. Rahul made 112 runs (from 113 balls), including nine fours and two sixes, as he rescued India from 62/3 in the 13th over after being sent in to bat.
