(Cricket news) Martin Guptill has been playing T20 internationals for over 12 years and was always behind Brendon McCullum in the shortest format. The right handed batter is now the leading run scorer for his country this season and is the top run getter overall. This year he has scored 355 runs in 10 matches and is only 24 runs away from becoming the second batter after Virat Kohli to score 3000 runs or more in T20s. 

The 35 year old made his T20 debut in 2009 against Australia and got out in two balls for a duck. He has since played 104 matches while scoring 2 centuries and 17 half centuries, his best season coming in 2012 where he scored 472 runs in 13 matches. The only other time he scored more than 400 runs in a season was in 2018 where he scored 410 runs in ten innings with a century and 4 fifties.

Guptill is currently the opener for the New Zealand team in the ICC T20 World Cup and has scored 37 runs in two matches. Guptill has an impressive stroke play as he can play spin and pace with ease when in form, his batting style comes to use in all formats of the game. He can hit beyond the boundary ropes with ruthless power or with classic groundstrokes. Guptill holds the record for most sixes in the format with 147 maximums and the third most boundaries with 262.

Guptill has been carrying the batting line up for New Zealand after McCullum’s departure and is  one of the most active experienced players on the side. He is currently the only player on the side to play more than 100 T20s with Tim Southee coming second as he has played 84 T20s. Guptill has been one of the finest openers for the team, he has managed to score consistently and in the start of the year proved why he is still a top player when he scored 97 runs in 50 balls against a young Australian bowling attack.

Guptill was hit on his left foot in the match against Pakistan but recovered in time as he played against India yesterday. He will look to score in the remaining three matches before the semifinals as his team currently stand third in Group 2 of super twelve. Guptill has been dismissed twice by fast bowlers in the first two matches and has not faced more than 20 balls in a match so far but it's too early to count him out of form. The 35 year old will fire soon and when needed he will rise up to the occasion.

Also read: T20 World Cup preview: England take on Sri Lanka in match no 17