Srinagar: New Zealand opener Martin Gupta achieved a massive milestone in T20 International cricket and in the process has jumped past Team India skipper Rohit Sharma.
Guptill has become the highest run-scorer in T20Is, both men and women, during the first T20I between Scotland and New Zealand in Edinburgh.
Rohit Sharma had become the highest run-scorer in T20Is earlier in the year when he went past countryman Virat Kohli against Sri Lanka in February. Guptill, who was close on his heels, now leapfrogged Rohit after making a 31-ball 40 against Scotland in the first T20I in Edinburgh.
Kohli was the first to breach the 3000-run mark in T20Is when he achieved the feat in 2021 during the second T20I of the home series against England in Ahmedabad. The 2000-run mark was first crossed by Guptill’s countryman, Brendon McCullum eight years back. McCullum was, in fact, the first to cross the 1000-run barrier too in men’s T20Is.
Currently, Guptill tops the list with 3399 runs and is closely followed by the Indian duo of Rohit (3379 runs) and Kohli (3308 runs). Paul Stirling comes fourth with 2894 T20I runs while the Australian skipper Aaron Finch is fifth with 2855 runs.
Guptill is the only New Zealand player in the top 10 with McCullum currently on 12th after finishing his career with 2140 T20I runs.
While Guptill went about breaking the milestone, his opening partner added a milestone of his own in Edinburgh, becoming the fifth New Zealand men’s player to hit a T20I hundred. Allen completed his maiden T20I hundred off just 54 balls as New Zealand put on a mammoth 225 on board, helped by a late cameo from Jimmy Neesham, who finished on 30 off a mere nine balls.
Scotland finished on 157/8 in reply after a promising 62-run opening stand between Calum MacLeod and George Munsey was cut short by Ish Sodhi, who finished with career-best T20I figures of 4/28.