Out of all the double hundreds ever scored in ODI Cricket this has to be the most significant one that any batter has made because this came in the Quarter Final of the 2015 World Cup. It was the highest score by a New Zealand batter in ODIs and that record is still intact and it is also the highest score in a knockout match in a World Cup.
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The cricketing World knew how special of a talent Martin Guptill is and was at that time but he was not able to play that one Breakout innings and he produced an innings for a lifetime when it mattered the most and at the biggest stage possible. That innings took the stature of Martin Guptill as an international cricketer and took it to another level.
Let’s look at this incredible knock:
Big innings for the big stage
If there was ever a definition of a big innings at the big stage then this was it. New Zealand were in the quarter final of the World Cup with a chance of getting into the semi final and it was important for New Zealand to get a great start and that is exactly what Martin Guptill did and he started the innings aggressively and the West Indies Bowlers had no clue where to bowl at him. Within 16 overs New Zealand got to 90 and Guptill made 45 of those.
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Sheer Dominance by Martin Guptill
The 237* which Martin Guptill made was filled with 24 fours and 11 sixes which means he hit a total of 162 runs in boundaries which is simply mind boggling. He hit a four in every part of the ground and it was in New Zealand which meant the home fans were having a blast. Martin Guptill hit such big sixes that the ball was going out of the stadium and generally the stadiums in New Zealand are smaller compared to the rest of the world. That day nothing could get him out and he batted from ball 1 till the last ball and made sure that New Zealand got to a score of 393 in 50 overs.
Also Read | Talking about the 309 by Virender Sehwag vs Pakistan at Multan in 2004
He single handedly took New Zealand to the semi final of the World Cup
New Zealand are known to be considered now but back then in 2015, they were not known to be this good and therefore this Quarter Final Match vs West Indies was very important for them as a cricketing nation and Martin Guptill took the responsibility on his shoulders and he made sure that New Zealand had to face no trouble in reaching the semi final and he hit his 237* in just 163 balls at a strike rate of 145.39. And it will take a long time before anyone plays an innings like his in a knockout match of a World Cup.
Also Read: Talking about the 98 by Sachin Tendulkar vs Pakistan in 2003 World Cup
