Martin Guptill: New Zealand’s Explosive Opener
Profile of Martin Guptill, the New Zealand opener who scored an unbeaten 237 against the West Indies at the 2015 World Cup, the tournament’s highest score.
Early life and rise
Martin Guptill was born in Auckland in 1986 and played his early cricket there. He debuted for New Zealand in a one-day international against the West Indies at Auckland in 2009, and scored an unbeaten century in that match, a remarkable beginning to his international career.
Playing style
Guptill was a tall, right-handed opener who played with power and timing. He hit the ball cleanly down the ground and through the off side, and he was especially dangerous in white-ball cricket, where he used the early overs to take on bowlers. He was also a sharp fielder, notably in the covers.
Career highlights
His best-known innings came in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final against the West Indies at Wellington, where he made an unbeaten 237. It was the highest individual score in World Cup history, and at the time the second-highest in ODI cricket. He also played in the 2019 World Cup, where New Zealand reached the final, and a direct-hit run-out of MS Dhoni in the semi-final against India became one of the key moments of that tournament.
He was a long-time member of the New Zealand T20 side and was among the leading run-scorers in T20 internationals. He also played Test cricket, though his greater impact came in the shorter formats. On the domestic scene he played for Auckland and Northern Districts, as well as English county sides.
Legacy
Guptill is remembered for two of the signature moments of recent World Cups: his 237 and the run-out of Dhoni. He is often counted among New Zealand’s finest white-ball batters, and his scoring rate in the early overs set a template for the country’s opening pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is Martin Guptill’s highest ODI score?
His highest ODI score is an unbeaten 237 against the West Indies at the 2015 World Cup in Wellington.
Did Martin Guptill score a century on his ODI debut?
Yes, he scored an unbeaten century against the West Indies at Auckland in 2009 in his first ODI.
What was Guptill’s role in the 2019 World Cup semi-final?
He made a direct-hit run-out of MS Dhoni, a decisive moment in New Zealand’s victory over India.