Martin Guptill's 3 best moments for New Zealand

Veteran New Zealand batter Martin Guptill’s wonderful international career will be celebrated during Auckland Aces' men's Super Smash T20 game against Wellington Firebirds on January 4 at the Eden Park Outer Oval.

The 'Thank You, Gup' day will pay tribute to the 37-year-old's contribution to New Zealand as well as Auckland cricket. The Eden Park Outer Oval will be turned into the 'The Martin Guptill Oval' for the testimonial match.

The right-handed batter is one of the finest white-ball players to have represented New Zealand. In 198 ODIs, he has smashed 7,346 runs at an average of 41.73 and a strike rate of 87.29 with 18 hundreds and 39 fifties.

He has also scored 3,531 runs in 122 T20Is at a strike rate of 135.70 with two hundreds and 20 fifties. Only Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have scored more runs in T20Is than the Kiwi.

Releasing a statement over 'Thank You, Gup' day, Auckland Cricket CEO Iain Laxon said:

"Martin is without doubt one of our country's finest ever white-ball cricketers and we wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate and recognize what he has done for cricket.”

On that note, let’s revisit the veteran batter’s three best moments for New Zealand.

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#3 Match-winning T20I ton in a chase against South Africa

The Kiwi opener has two T20I tons to his name. (Pic: Getty Images)

Guptill has scored two hundreds in T20I cricket. His best of 105 came off only 54 balls against Australia in Auckland in February 2018. However, the opener’s heroics went in vain as the Aussies gunned down 244 in 18.5 overs. His other T20I hundred thus features in this list as it came in a winning cause.

The dynamic right-handed batter clobbered 101* off 69 balls as New Zealand chased down a target of 169 in 19 overs against South Africa in East London in December 2012.

The Kiwis asked the Proteas to bat first after winning the toss in the 19 overs per side contest. South Africa put up 165/5 on the board as skipper Faf du Plessis top-scored with 63 off 43, while Henry Davids contributed 55 off 38.

Set a revised DLS target of 169, Guptill almost singe-handedly lifted the Kiwis to a famous win. He clubbed nine fours and six sixes in his brutal innings as New Zealand got home off the last ball with eight wickets in hand.

In a fairy-tale finish, Guptill hammered the last ball of the match from Rory Kleinveldt to the boundary to clinch a memorable win for New Zealand.

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#2 Iconic run out of MS Dhoni in the 2019 World Cup semi-final

New Zealand players celebrate the run out of MS Dhoni in the 2019 World Cup semi-final. (Pic: Getty Images)

Guptill might have achieved some incredible feats in international cricket, but for most India and Dhoni fans, he will forever be associated with the run out of MS Dhoni in the 2019 World Cup semi-final in Manchester. The direct hit from one of New Zealand’s best fielders ended Dhoni’s remarkable international career and will go down in history as one of the most iconic moments in the game of cricket.

Chasing 240, India had recovered from a disastrous 24/4 courtesy of Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja (77 off 59), who added 116 for the seventh wicket. However, Jadeja was dismissed with the score reading 208, leaving Dhoni as India’s last hope for victory.

On the third ball of the 49th over, Dhoni swatted a shortish ball from Lockie Ferguson behind square. The second run was going to be very tight, but the former Indian skipper knew that he had to keep the strike if India had to be in the game.

With no option, he hurried back for the second, hoping that the fielder would not score a direct hit. Guptill, however, fired in a brilliant throw and caught Dhoni short of his crease.

The superb work from the Kiwi opener sealed India’s hopes of victory in the semi-final.

In a cruel twist of fate for Guptill, he was run out on the last ball of the Super Over in the nail-biting final against England. The scores were tied, but England were declared winners on a bizarre boundary count rule.

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#1 Guptill has smashed the highest score in the Men’s ODI World Cup

The Kiwi batter celebrates his double ton against West Indies in the 2015 World Cup. (Pic: Getty Images)

It’s not Kohli or Rohit or Sachin Tendulkar, but Guptill who holds the record for the highest individual score in the Men’s ODI World Cup. The aggressive opening batter from New Zealand hammered an unbeaten 237 off 163 balls in the fourth quarter-final of the 2015 edition against West Indies in Wellington.

On a day where Guptill could seem to do no wrong, he smashed 24 fours and 11 sixes, occupying the crease for 223 minutes as New Zealand put up 393/6 on the board batting first. A deflated Windies were bowled out for 250 in 30.3 overs as Trent Boult claimed 4/44.

The story of the match, however, was undoubtedly about Guptill’s sensational assault on the hapless West Indies bowlers. The opener had batted steadily to reach 100 off 111 balls. All hell broke loose after that as Guptill needed only 23 balls to go from 100 to 150.

The misery for the West Indies was not yet over though. In the 45th over, Guptill clubbed Jason Holder for three sixes as 27 runs came off it. He brought up his double hundred at the start of the 48th over by smacking a full ball from Andre Russell to long-off for four. A six and two more fours followed in the over.

Russell was up against Guptill in the last over as well and came in for more punishment as the New Zealand batter thumped him for two sixes and a four.

It was “Gup Day” at Wellington in the literal sense as the Kiwis crushed the Windies by 143 runs and powered their way into the semi-final of the 2015 World Cup.