Guptill throws to take Newzealand home

image source : www.dnaindia.com

Martin Guptill, the Newzealand opener had a wonderful world cup back in 2015, been the leading run scorer with 547 runs in 9 matches of average 68.37 including an unbeaten mammoth 237 runs against the West Indies, which was a much better team than the 2019’s world cup team. But, in the 2019’s tournament’s Guptill seems like the shadow of the past world cup, only scoring 167 runs in this World Cup, of average 20.87. Guptill’s dismal batting only produced an unbeaten 73 against their opening match against Srilanka and he already managed to score two ducks. In the semifinal of 2019 World cup, Bumrah put him out of misery when his score was only 1.
In the Newzealand’s innings against India in the semifinal only Williamson and Taylor managed to score respectful scores of past fifty, they scored respectively 67 and 74. At 46.1 overs, when the New Zealand score was 211 for 5, due to heavy drizzle the play was abandoned for the day. After resuming the match on the reserved day, Newzealand finished their innings at 239 for 8, a big feet and achievement for the Indians as they frequented three hundred plus scores in the world cup.
Only 240 runs target seemed minute for the formidable Indian batting lineup, as their top order batsmen were in top form, Rohit Sharma being the leading run scorer and their captain Virat Kohli also had a very good world cup with the bat. But as the match unfolded, in the beginning, India stumbled as they lost their key top order batsmen, Rohit Sharma, Kohli, K L Rahul and Kartik, the first four wickets at the score of 24, twice when their score was at only 5. It seemed India could never recover from the early blow, this went on for India until the departure of Pandya at the score of 92, when Jadeja partnered with Dhoni for the 7th wicket partnership produced 116 runs. This partnership almost made the comeback, taken India very close to victory. Bad luck carried on for India at 208, only short of 32 runs to go in 13 balls as Jadeja got out. In his innings of 77 Jadeja scored 4 sixes and fours each. Dhoni followed shortly after Jadeja, only shy of 22 runs in 9 balls. As Dhoni was a big hitter and still can repeat that when required , as he proved that just in the previous ball, but his dream shattered unexpectedly when he had fallen short while running for his second run when Dismally performing Guptill’s direct throw down from the leg side hit the keeper’s side stamp directly, the decision went for the third umpire, who after reviewing gave him out. Dhoni was just short, if he had another moment, he could have made it.After Dhoni’s departure, the Indian lower order batting became bare and India’s innings quickly folded, fallen short of 18 runs. Guptill who had a dismal world cup suddenly became the hero, orchestrating the victory by taking the key wicket in a vital situation in that match, otherwise, India could have made home.