Black Caps white-ball great Martin Guptill has officially confirmed his retirement from international cricket.
The 38-year-old played 367 games (198 ODIs, 122 T20Is, 47 Tests) for New Zealand scoring 23 international centuries across the three formats and breaking numerous white-ball batting records.
LATEST HEADLINES:
Guptill finishes his 14-year international career (2009 – 2022) as the Black Caps leading T20I run-scorer with 3,531 from 122 T20I matches, and his 7,346 ODI runs places him third on the ODI list behind Ross Taylor and Stephen Fleming.
Guptill is currently leading from the front for the Auckland Aces in this season’s Dream11 Super Smash and will continue to ply his trade in T20 franchise cricket for the foreseeable future.
He reflected with pride on his international career saying it was the greatest honour and privilege to play for New Zealand for 14 years.
“As a young kid it was always my dream to play for New Zealand and I feel incredibly lucky and proud to have played 367 games for my country,” he said.
“I will forever cherish the memories made wearing the silver fern alongside a great group of guys.
“I want to say a huge thanks to all my team-mates and coaching staff over the years, in particular Mark O’Donnell who has coached me since the Under 19 level and been a source of ongoing support and wisdom over my career.
“A special thanks must also go to my manager Leanne McGoldrick - all of the work behind the scenes never went unnoticed and I’ll be forever appreciative of all your support.
“To my wife Laura and our beautiful children Harley and Teddy – thank-you. Thank you Laura for the sacrifices you have made for me and our family. You’ve been my biggest supporter, my rock and my counsel through all of the ups and downs that come with the game. I am eternally grateful.
“Finally I’d like to thank all the cricket fans, here in NZ and around the world for all their support throughout the years.”
Guptill burst onto the international scene in 2009 when he became the first New Zealander to score a century on ODI debut, against the West Indies at Eden Park. The same year he was named in the ICC's World ODI XI.
He became the first Kiwi to score an ODI double-century at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 when he smashed 237 not-out in the quarter-final win over the West Indies at Wellington Stadium.
That innings, along with his unbeaten 189 against England in Southampton in 2013, and his 180 not-out against South Africa at Hamilton in 2017, rank as three of New Zealand's top four individual ODI scores.
Guptill also scored two T20I hundreds: 101 not out off 69 balls against South Africa at East London's Buffalo Park in 2012, and 105 off 54 balls against Australia six years later in Auckland.
He played 47 Tests for New Zealand, scoring 17 half-centuries and three hundreds: 189 v Bangladesh at Seddon Park in 2010, 109 v Zimbabwe at Bulawayo's Queens Sports Club ground in 2011, and 156 v Sri Lanka in Dunedin in 2015.
Fans will fondly remember Guptill’s power and timing at the top of the batting order which saw him strike a whopping 1,385 fours and 383 sixes during his international career.
His prowess in the field was regarded as world class and he consistently set the standard for the Black Caps, resulting in many spectacular catches, saves and run outs.
Among the most memorable was his stunning direct hit run-out of M.S. Dhoni during the Black Caps semi-final win over India at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
His illustrious international career will be acknowledged during the BLACKCAPS third and final day-night ODI against Sri Lanka at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday January 11.
The ground is a fitting venue for a Guptill tribute given his West Auckland roots and the fact he holds the ground’s ODI (818) and T20I (626) run-scoring records.