Martin Guptill Announces Retirement From International Cricket
New Zealand’s Martin Guptill has decided to retire from international cricket. Guptill, who played all three formats of the game, marked the end of a glittering career. Guptill, one of the world’s best openers, left an indelible mark on international cricket as he had played 367 matches for the Black Caps. He scored 23 international centuries and set many records, especially in white-ball cricket. Martin Guptill’s Promising Start In INT Cricket Martin Guptill first represented his country New Zealand in an ODI in January 2009 against the West Indies. A few months after that, in February of the same year, he represented New Zealand in the T20Is. He marked his Test career debut by playing for New Zealand in March 2009 itself. Martin Guptill’s Overall Career Martin Guptill represented New Zealand at the international level till 2022. In total, he has played more than 350 matches in his international cricket career by representing the blackcaps in ODIs, T20Is, and Tests. This includes 198 ODIs, 122 T20Is and 47 Tests. Guptill’s T20I record reads 3,531 runs. He was the first man to emerge from New Zealand and set the record for scoring the highest number of runs ever in that match. For ODIs, Martin Guptill could have made 7,346 runs so he stands at third on the most run-scoring list of ODIs for New Zealand and two people score more than him. Those include Taylor and Stephen Fleming. For his test cricket, he managed 2,586 runs. In total, during his entire cricketing career, Martin Guptill scored 23 centuries and 76 half-centuries. Martin Guptill’s Early Days In Cricket Martin Guptill early showed the talent that made him stand apart from the rest. In 2009, he became the first New Zealand player to score a century on ODI debut against the West Indies at Eden Park. His break year also kept his name on the ICC World ODI XI list. The same year, Martin Guptill made history by becoming the first New Zealand player to score an ODI double-century in the year 2015. Thus, he is the man responsible for three of the four individual highest scores against New Zealand in ODI. Martin Guptill In ODI’s However, it was a few great innings that constituted his career and such an innings came in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup quarter-final against the West Indies. On that day, Martin Guptill bashed 237 not out and made the record of the highest individual score in a World Cup match as well as New Zealand’s first-ever ODI double-century. Other notable knocks include his unbeaten 189 against England in 2013 and 180* against South Africa in 2017, which counts among New Zealand’s highest scores in the ODI format. Martin Guptill In T20Is Martin Guptill was one such cricketer to watch even in the format of T20I, scoring two memorable tons-one an innings of 101* off 69 balls against South Africa in 2012 and the other an innings of 105 off 54 balls against Australia in 2018. Martin Guptill In Test Match Career Though he is more of a specialist for limited overs, Martin Guptill was also a consistent test player, scoring 2,586 runs in 47 Test matches. Among his three test match centuries, there are a career best of 189 against Bangladesh in 2010, 109 against Zimbabwe in 2011 and 156 against Sri Lanka in 2015. During the international career that has lasted over more than 13 years, Guptill ran for more than 13,000 runs for New Zealand and proved to be the backbone of their batting line. Martin Guptill’s legacy will always be remembered as one of the most consistent and prolific top order batters in the sport. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Which Team Will Make It To The WTC25 Final?
With only 15 test matches left in the current WTC cycle, the battle for the top two has really heated up. No side yet, is guaranteed a place in the WTC25 final and several teams still have a shot at landing one of the coveted spots. Here’s how the teams are shaping up as they go into the final stretch: South Africa Percent: 59.26, matches remaining: SL (1 home Test), PAK (2 home) A big win for South Africa at Durban has put them in a good position, but they still need to pick up more points to guarantee qualification to the WTC25 final. If they lose to Sri Lanka but win both their remaining Tests against Pakistan, then they would still have a fair chance of qualification with 61.11%. However, the two teams that could surpass them both are Sri Lanka and India. If South Africa somehow draw their second Test against Sri Lanka and then beat Pakistan 1-0, things would be much safer than they are now. In this best-case scenario, winning each of their next two series could guarantee them a place at the final, with only a possibility of Australia and India outscoring them. Sri Lanka Percent: 50.00, matches remaining: SA (1 away Test), AUS (2 home) Sri Lanka’s loss in Durban has complicated their route to the WTC25 final. They can get a maximum of 61.54% if they win their remaining three tests, which will guarantee them a spot in the final. However if they lose another test, they will rely on other teams’ performances as South Africa, India and Australia could surpass them. In order to stay ahead of the pack, Sri Lanka should aim to win the series against South Africa and Australia in their last matches. New Zealand Percent: 50.00, matches remaining: ENG (2 home) New Zealand’s chances are somewhat doused by its dismal performance in Christchurch, reducing their highest possible points to 57.14%. Though this leaves them a thin chance, they still have a mathematical chance to be in the WTC25 final. For instance, if the Australia-India series goes 1-1 and other series end in draws, New Zealand will top the table. However they would need a number of results to go in their favor to qualify and will rely on a series win against England for their hopes. India Percent: 61.11, matches remaining: AUS (4 away) A dominant win in Perth has increased India’s chances of qualifying into the final, however they need to finish strong in the remaining series against Australia. To be confirmed for a place in the WTC25 finals, India need to win three out of four remaining tests at Australia. In case India wins 3-0, it would get more points than Sri Lanka’s best achievable points and also would stand better than South Africa. While it has lesser points, they might also qualify among top two. However this all greatly depends on other teams. India’s fate is tied not only to their own results but also to the performances of South Africa, Australia and Sri Lanka. Australia Percent: 57.69, matches remaining: Ind (4 home Tests), SL (2 away) Australia’s loss to India in Perth has placed them under pressure. With their remaining six tests, they need four wins and a draw to stay in the hunt. If they win both the home series against India and Sri Lanka, they will exceed Sri Lanka’s maximum potential points. However Australia can finish at the top two only if they make their remaining series spotless, especially the one against Sri Lanka in the away series. Even if India wins 3-2 in the current series, Australia may finish ahead as they would have swept Sri Lanka. Pakistan Percent: 33.33, matches remaining: SA (2 away), WI (2 home) Pakistan’s revival at home has come too late in the cycle. Their maximum possible points of 52.38% still leave them with slim chances of qualification. To even have a chance, they would need several results to go their way. If Sri Lanka and New Zealand fail to go well in their remaining series, Pakistan may still end up in the running for a second-place finish. However, even a perfect record in their last four Tests most likely will not be enough to secure them a place in the final without other results working in their favor. England Percent: 43.75, matches remaining: NZ (2 away) England’s hopes of qualification are very low however not impossible. They now stand at 43.75% after their win in Christchurch, which means that there is very little margin for error. Still, on paper, they can mathematically finish second if all the other results go in their favor. If India loses all the remaining tests and South Africa and Sri Lanka do not garner enough points, England could sneak into second place. However, their chances of qualification for the WTC25 final are extremely low. Bangladesh and West Indies (Eliminated) Both Bangladesh and the West Indies are effectively out of the running for the top two positions in the WTC25 and their points and results aren’t enough to challenge the leaders. As the last 15 test matches take place, the battle for a place in the WTC25 final at Lord’s is bound to intensify. South Africa, Sri Lanka and India have a shot at it, whereas Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan still have a very slim chance. A few results will determine who finally goes to the final however one thing is sure, the race to the final of the WTC25 is wide open. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Women’s T20 WC 2024: New Zealand Had The Last Laugh
It was all-smiles for New Zealand in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 final played in Dubai. The White Ferns (New Zealand) emerged as the titleholders of their maiden ICC Women’s T20 World Cup by defeating the Proteas Women (South Africa) with a margin of 32 runs. It had been a remarkable tale of turnaround for New Zealand, who had entered this tournament with a 10 game losing streak, however went on to win the title. New Zealand Sets a Formidable Target New Zealand set a stern target of 158/5, thanks to crucial knocks from Maddy Green and Izzy Gaze who struck 16 off Ayabonga Khaka’s final over. South Africa had denied New Zealand any boundary for the last 48 balls, but the Kiwis exploited six fours and a six off the remaining 34 to seal the contest beyond South Africa’s score. In response to this, all South Africa could do was 126/9-the biggest successful chase in the history of the tournament. Wolvaardt’s Calm Leadership and Crucial Decisions Laura Wolvaardt showed maturity by keeping it cool despite all that was happening around her. This is where she, for instance, took time to review an LBW decision against Sophie Devine that eventually went in favor of her team. The calm she showed in reviewing that decision might have cost South Africa dearly when South Africans were penalized for employing only three fielders outside the ring during New Zealand’s last over; such a risk allowed Green and Gaze to squeeze those priceless extra runs. South Africa’s Sloppy Feilding South Africa’s fielding wasn’t as sharp as it had been during their semifinal against Australia, even though they did hold onto several tough catches. They dropped what would have been an important catch off the final ball of New Zealand’s innings when Sune Luus failed to hold onto the ball, allowing the Kiwis to run some extras. South Africa conceded 15 extras, including two no-balls for cutting the return crease—decisions that were dubious but weren’t the decider. New Zealand’s Complete Domination The bottom line was that New Zealand batted, bowled and fielded better than their opponents, sustaining the momentum they created throughout the tournament. South Africans had begun well in the powerplay, but they lacked the discipline and sharpness they had shown against Australia and seemed relatively flat in the final. New Zealand Women’s Cricket Creates History The victory is well-timed and in a way, historic for New Zealand women’s cricket as they etched another proud page in their sporting annals. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Women’s T20 WC 2024: And Then There Were Two
Cricket will see a new champion of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 when New Zealand faces South Africa in the final on Sunday, 20th October, 2024, in Dubai. New Zealand New Zealand, led by Sophie Devine, sealed their place in the final with a close victory over the West Indies on Friday in Sharjah. That is all they have been missing in their history-long quest for some silverware as they look to achieve their first-ever T20 World Cup title. South Africa Meanwhile, South Africa knocked out six-time champions Australia in the first semi-final on Thursday. They hope to go a step further than the previous tournament in 2023, where they lost to Australia in the final played on home soil. South Africa’s Second ICC Tournament Final This will only be the second time South Africa has reached the final of an ICC tournament, with their first last year when they were defeated by 19 runs to Australia in Cape Town. New Zealand’s Return To The Final After 14 Years This will be the Kiwis’ first appearance in a T20 World Cup final since 2007. Having been runners-up in the very first edition of the tournament and then again in 2010, when Australia edged them out, New Zealand will be looking to go one better than their record so far. Despite all that, only three teams have succeeded in achieving the ultimate prize in its eight different editions of Women’s T20 World Cup and these teams are England 2009, West Indies 2016 and Australia who have dominated the tourney by being crowned champions six times, including the last successive three. Neither New Zealand nor South Africa has successfully won a title of T20 World Cup for either men or women. Final The Dubai International Cricket Stadium has scheduled the final to be held at 6:00 PM local time on Sunday. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: A Team-by-Team Preview
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 is all set to get underway from the 3rd to the 20th of October, 2024 at Sharjah and Dubai. Ten teams would be rubbing their shoulders against each other to have their hands on that elusive title at the Dubai International Stadium on 20th October, 2024. Let’s quickly go through the 10 participating teams in this edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. India India had to face a setback in the 2023 semi-final in an incredible game against Australia at Cape Town. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 is where they will look to repeat that for a second final appearance and possibly a first title win. Australia Four times in a row, Australia come in as the tournament favorites, after dominating the competition in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, which they won for the sixth time in South Africa. The Australians have never lost since 2020 and are expected to try to maintain the grip on the trophy. England Traditionally a strong team, England made its debut as champions in 2009 and will expect an easy comeback from the loss in the semi-finals of last year. England has made it to the final thrice since winning their first title. Hence, they are again one of the favorites to win. South Africa South Africa, the runners-up of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, are going to try that little extra inch further this time round since they managed history to make it to the very first final of their lives. They have all it takes to go deep again, and a rightful push to attain their first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy. New Zealand New Zealand have been the runners-up in 2009 and 2010. The Kiwis do have a good account of World Cup performances, and they would be looking to get it to the final this time around. Qualification increased following their crushing victories against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at the fag end of last year. West Indies West Indies, champions in 2016, qualified solely based on their group play in South Africa. The Caribbean team will look to reignite the good old days with another title victory. Sri Lanka Sri Lanka qualified by winning the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Qualifier. Having done quite well in 2023, where they opened with a win over South Africa, they will look forward to delivering when it matters the most this time around. Scotland The only first-time team participating in this event is Scotland, which gained qualification through the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier. This is actually the first taste of action on the world stage for the team. Pakistan Pakistan had qualified as the highest-ranked side, not including those that had otherwise already qualified for the event. As first-timers to the semis, they will look to make it big in the 2024 edition. Bangladesh Bangladesh, who had qualified as hosts before the competition was switched to the UAE, start against Scotland at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. It is Bangladesh’s sixth visit to the tournament; however, they have failed to go beyond the group stage so far. With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 round the corner, teams are in full preparations to make their presence felt in the tournament. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
SL vs NZ: When Was the Most Recent ‘Rest Day’ in a Test Match?
This day and age, cricket fans are in for a nostalgic treat. Sri Lanka is gearing up to host New Zealand next month, with the inclusion of a “rest day” in a test match series that includes two tests. Since the first Test in Galle starts on September 18th, 2024, it will add a rest day on September 21st, 2024, because of the presidential election of Sri Lanka. History – Rest Days Rest days, once a regular feature of Test cricket, were usually witnessed in games in England where the game used to have six day Test matches with Sunday off. The occurrence though has fallen rapidly in recent times. Let’s glance at the recent instances of a test match having a rest day. Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, 2001 The last test match played in Sri Lanka that had a rest day was in Colombo in 2001 against Zimbabwe. The Test, which ran from December 27 to January 1, had December 30 off as a rest day for Poya Day, which is a full moon holiday in Sri Lanka. Despite the extra day off, Sri Lanka cruised to an innings and 166-run victory as the Zimbabweans collapsed. Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, 2008 The last time a rest day was taken during a Test match was in Dhaka in 2008. Bangladesh was hosting Sri Lanka when a rest day was taken on December 29 because of a parliamentary election. New Zealand vs Pakistan, 2014 2014 saw another unscheduled rest day in a test match between Pakistan and New Zealand, who were playing in Sharjah when news reached them of the tragic death of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes. The match resumed the next day. Pakistan eventually lost by an innings and 80 runs. As Sri Lanka and New Zealand prepare to face each other, having a rest day would definitely bring back memories of cricket’s traditional format and add a unique twist to the upcoming fixtures. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
