I spent a lot of time on the physio table: Martin Guptill

The 31-year-old Auckland-born batsman Martin Guptill was struggling with his back which saw him spending the quality time on the physio table before smashing unbeaten 86 in the rain-truncated to lead the five-match One-day International series 2-0 at Saxton Oval in Nelson on Tuesday.

“I was trying to get my back loosened up. I spent a lot of time on the physio table lying down,” Guptill told Sky Sport and was quoted as saying by Stuff after being adjudged Man of the Match.

During the rain stoppage when New Zealand was chasing the target of 247 and Guptill was batting alongside Ross Taylor when hosts post 64 for two in 14 overs before covers were introduced at the target was revised to 151.

The two-hour rain has further allowed the right-handed batsman Guptill to get enough time before walking back into the ground which subsequently helped him to go after the Pakistan bowlers alongside Taylor, who remained unbeaten on 45 off 43 deliveries.

“I didn’t get up to too much, I was just making sure my back was nice and loose so I could come back out and swing a few to do the boundary,” Guptill asserted.

However, soon after the play resumed, the explosive opener was in his groove which saw him hammering the bowlers as his 71-ball innings included five sixes and five boundaries respectively.

While shedding light on his back treatment that Guptill has been struggling from in the recent past also felt uneasy while batting in the second innings before the Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) system was introduced in the game and 25 overs was supposed to be bowled in the second innings.

“I’m just getting old I think. It has locked up a few times in the past but you’ve just got to work through it and manage it for the next 24-48 hours to make sure it’s tracking nicely,” Guptill explained.

Guptill, who forged the 104-run partnership alongside Taylor, revealed they were thinking to go with the attacking mindset and according to him, the plan has paid off in style.

“The way I was thinking was if we could just chance our arm in the first few overs with the fielders up and we could get ahead of the rate then we could just cruise towards the end, and that’s how it played out,” Guptill added.

Concluding, Guptill admitted the fact that Pakistan lower-order has done well to keep the hosts on its feet while adding such wicket has been doing a bit, and they are lucky

“They played extremely well down their lower order to get to 240-odd and put a bit of pressure back on us,” Guptill signed off.

Making his return after injury, Guptill had made 48 in the first ODI in Wellington on January 6 which was equally decided on DLS method when New Zealand won the match by 61 runs after fine hundred from skipper Kane Williamson.

Read about ongoing Pakistan’s tour to New Zealand here: NZ vs. PAK, 2018