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New Zealand’s right-handed batsman, Martin Guptill, has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 38. The end of Guptill’s career marks the culmination of a remarkable 15-year journey at the top level of cricket, playing for his country in 367 matches across all formats. While he is retiring from international cricket, Guptill plans to continue playing in domestic and franchise T20 leagues around the world.
A Glorious Career in White-Ball Cricket
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He has been outstanding in white-ball formats for New Zealand. In total, he made 7346 runs in 198 One-Day Internationals (ODIs). He is the third-highest run-scorer for New Zealand in ODIs, after Ross Taylor with 8607 runs and Stephen Fleming with 8007 runs. Guptill’s consistency and important innings at big moments made him a stalwart of New Zealand’s batting line-up.
His record in the T20 Internationals is even more marked. Guptill is the highest run-scoring New Zealander of all time for the shortest formats of the game, scoring 3531 runs in 122 matches. His average reads 31.81, in addition to an aggressive strike rate of 135.70, which proves him a T20 cricket legend.
Test Cricket – A More Humble Record
While the successes of Guptill in the limited-overs format are widely known, the Test career of Guptill was more muted. From 2009 to 2016, Guptill appeared in 47 Tests for New Zealand, scoring 2586 runs at an average of 29.38. Even though he made some impressive displays and many spectacular performances, the record of his Test cricket was never up to the standard he achieved in the ODIs and T20Is.
A Career Defined by Historic Performances
The career of Guptill will always be remembered for a few outstanding moments. Among the most iconic was his debut match against the West Indies in January 2009, where he made an immediate impact by scoring a composed 122 runs off 135 balls. This inning set the tone for what would become a highly successful career.
However, one of the most unforgettable chapters in Guptill’s career came in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. In the quarter-finals against the West Indies, Guptill produced a sensational double-century, scoring 237 runs. This remarkable knock still stands as the second-highest individual score in an ODI, surpassed only by Rohit Sharma’s 264 runs. That tour was significant as it saw Guptill contribute to New Zealand’s passage into the final of that World Cup, making his legacy as one of the world’s best ODI batsmen.
A Farewell with Appreciation
Speaking of his career, Guptill had said that he was proud to have played for New Zealand at international level. In a statement released by New Zealand Cricket, he said, “It was always my dream to play for New Zealand as a child, and I am proud to represent my country in 367 matches.”
He also took the opportunity to thank those who supported him throughout his career, including teammates, coaches, and his family. He especially thanked Mark O’Donnell, his coach since his Under-19 days, for shaping him as a cricketer. He also thanked his wife, Laura, and children for being there for him through thick and thin.
Future Plans: Continuing with Franchise Leagues
Although Martin Guptill is taking his exit from international cricket, he is far from done with the sport. As of now, he is in New Zealand’s domestic T20 league, Super Smash, playing for Auckland. In the Pakistan Super League (PSL) draft, he has also been retained by Islamabad United. Continuing to play in franchise leagues around the world shows him how much the sport means to him and how much he wants to continue in this global cricketing arena.
The end of an era for New Zealand cricket has come to pass with Martin Guptill’s retirement from international cricket. With a superlative career across formats, his historic performances and consistency shine through in every match he has played. He will be remembered not only for the records he set but for the moments he created on the field, which made him a favorite among fans and one of the finest cricketers to ever represent New Zealand.
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