Watch: Martin Guptill scored a brilliant century off 62 deliveries in the 2023 Pakistan Super League, which also saw him smash Karachi Kings’ Andrew Tye for 30 runs in one over.
Guptill, who last played a T20I for New Zealand in October, had not crossed 40 in his last 17 T20 knocks. He had a poor Big Bash League, where he amassed 165 runs in 11 games for Melbourne Renegades at an average of 15. Picked by Quetta Gladiators in this year’s PSL, the opener scored 7 in the opener against Multan Sultans to continue his poor run of form.
However, he turned it around in style on Saturday against Karachi, scoring his first T20 hundred in nearly five years, and the fifth of his career overall. Opening the innings, Guptill steadied the ship after Quetta had been reduced to 23-4, scoring 44 in 41 deliveries. The dismissal of Iftikhar Ahmed in the 15th over for 32 in 27 forced him to adopt an aggressive approach.
Guptill reached his 50 in 44 deliveries and got a life in the 17th over when Sharjeel Khan was unable to hold on to a catch at backward point. He hit three fours in the next seven balls that he faced, before smashing 30 runs off the penultimate over of the innings.
Guptill started with a four over deep backward square before sending a huge six over long-on. Another four and a six followed as he moved to 98. The batter reached his hundred with a mammoth six over the bowler’s head before ending the over with another four.
He belted one more six in the last over of the innings before eventually being dismissed for 117 off 67 deliveries. Quetta posted 168-7 with only one other player from the team reaching double figures.
Watch Guptill’s innings here:
It all happened in THAT over 🤯@Martyguptill at his absolute best for @TeamQuetta tonight. #SabSitarayHumaray l #KKvQG pic.twitter.com/u00JLREexE
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 18, 2023
