"When I came off the field after batting, I'd lost about 4.4 kilos" - Martin Guptill on his 93-run knock against Scotland
New Zealand opener Martin Guptill said he was exceptionally exhausted after his batting performance against Scotland in their T20 World Cup clash on Wednesday (November 3). Guptill revealed that he had shed 4.4 kilos amid a 33-degree Dubai heat in the afternoon.
The Kiwi opener batted almost until the end of the innings against Scotland in Dubai, facing 56 deliveries to score 93 runs. Guptill's knock, laced with six fours and seven sixes, ushered the Kiwis to 172/5 from 20 overs and scripted their second victory in the marquee event. However, it took a lot out of the veteran.
Two from two this week in Dubai! A strong effort from Scotland with the bat. Trent Boult 2-29, Ish Sodhi 2-42 and Tim Southee 1-24 the wicket takers. Scorecard | on.nzc.nz/3BEqn4w #T20WorldCup https://t.co/dOi50YV2fS
Martin Guptill admitted that he had to start hydrating himself quickly after batting in the scorching heat, having shed plenty of weight.
"When I came off the field after batting I'd lost about 4.4 kilos so the [hydration] process had to start pretty quickly after that," the 35-year old told TVNZ's Breakfast hours after New Zealand's victory.
However, Scotland made the Black Caps work for their win and fell only 16 runs short in the end. Michael Leask finished unbeaten on 42 off 20 balls, keeping Scotland's hopes alive. However, it proved a bridge too far against a quality New Zealand bowling attack.
"I was pretty cooked but we have a day off so I won't be doing too much there" - Martin Guptill
Martin Guptill revealed after the game that he is still adapting to the conditions in the UAE. The opener spoke about his 105-run partnership with Glenn Phillips, saying it was easy to thread a stand with him, having played alongside him plenty of times. Guptill said in the post-match presentation:
"I'm getting there slowly, I was pretty cooked but we have a day off so I won't be doing too much there. We didn't have a great start, losing three wickets in the powerplay, it wasn't quite a rescue mission but Glenn and I had to assess the situation and then put a partnership together."
He added:
"I've played a lot of cricket with Glenn, we know how each other bat, we've put on some good partnerships for Auckland back home, so it was easy to get a partnership going together with him."
A valiant effort from Scotland but New Zealand clinch the victory ✌️
#T20WorldCup | #NZvSCO | bit.ly/2ZSr7WM https://t.co/p52FHFLuQP
New Zealand have significantly boosted their chances of reaching the semi-final. Kane Williamson and co. will fancy finishing the job by beating Afghanistan and Namibia in their remaining fixtures.