New Zealand vs Australia: Martin Guptill’s innings of 97 led him to 132 T20I sixes against Australia.
New Zealand batsman Martin Guptill on Thursday broke India’s opener Rohit Sharma’s record of hitting the most sixes in the shortest format of the game when he slammed eight maximums to announce his return to form. Passing through a thin patch, Guptill hit stormy innings of 97 off 50 balls to put New Zealand on 219 in 20 overs against Australia in the second T20I. Guptill hit eight sixes and six fours to snatch Rohit’s record of hitting the most sixes in T20Is during his sensational innings. Guptill now has 132 while Rohit has 127 sixes under the belt in the shortest format of the game.
England captain Eoin Morgan (113), New Zealand batsman Colin Munro (107), and Chris Gayle (105) of the West Indies are the other three batsmen to hit more than 100 sixes in T20Is.
In response to New Zealand’s 219 runs, Australia got off to a good start as the visitors scored 33 runs in the first three overs. But Tim Southee put the brakes on Australia’s chase by removing Matthew Wade in the fourth over.
But the spectators continued risk-free and chasing seven overs, with the last ball of the eighth over, Ish Sodhi stopping Australia for 64/1 before dismissing skipper Aaron Finch.
Finch was dismissed as the middle order collapsed, causing Australia to lose wickets at regular intervals. Marcus Stoinis and Daniel Symes soon found the visitors on 113/6 before firing on the cylinder.
Both of them shared 92 runs in just 37 balls for the seventh wicket, but New Zealand won their team in the final overs.
