Martin Guptill Overtakes Rohit Sharma To Record Most Sixes In T20Is

Swashbuckling New Zealand opener, Martin Guptill has announced his return to form after plenty of lacklustre months with the bat. The right-hander smashed 97 runs from just 50 balls against Australia on Thursday at the University Oval in Dunedin.

En route his whirlwind knock, Martin Guptill leapfrogged Indian opener, Rohit Sharma to record most sixes in T20 internationals. Guptill, who harrumphed 6 fours and 8 sixes, now has hit 132 maximums in the shortest format at the international level – which is 5 more than Sharma.

The two openers are followed by English skipper, Eoin Morgan who has a tally of 113 sixes. Left-handers Colin Munro (107) and Chris Gayle (105) are the other two batsmen with over 100 sixes in T20I.

With 2718 runs, the 34-year-old is the third-highest run-scorer in T20Is, behind the Indian pair of Virat Kohli (2928) and Rohit Sharma (2773). As two T20I World Cups are scheduled in 2021 and 2022, and a plethora of T20I matches, expect these three batting galacticos to chase and joust with each other.

New Zealand win a thriller and lead the series 2-0

On the back of Martin Guptill’s 97, Kane Williamson’s 53, and James Neesham’s 16-ball-45; the Kiwis posted a giant total of 219 in their quota of 20 overs. The game seemed firm in New Zealand’s pocket – if it was not after the first innings – when Australia lost its six wickets for the score of 113.

However, once again the adage of ‘it’s not over until it is actually over’ was in full display as Marcus Stoinis and Daniel Sams launched a counter-attack, to be fair it was the only ploy they could have gone for.

Boundaries started to flow from both ends. The score from 113 in 13 overs went to 205 in 19 overs – 92 runs in 6 overs. The glimmer of hope for the Australians turned into a strong belief with 15 needed off the last over.

However, Neesham, who has been recently acquired by the Mumbai Indians, dismissed both the set batsman in the last over as the hosts won by a slender margin of 4 runs.

New Zealand lead the series by 2-0 with 3 matches to go. The third game is slated for Wednesday in Wellington.

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