Martin Guptill surpasses Rohit Sharma to become highest run-scorer in T20Is as New Zealand thrash Scotland in first T20

New Zealand opener Martin Guptill, who was close on his heels, now leapfrogged Rohit Sharma after making a 31-ball 40 against Scotland in the first T20I in Edinburgh.

New Zealand opener Martin Guptill went past Rohit Sharma to become the highest run-scorer in T20Is, both men and women, during the first T20I between Scotland and New Zealand, in Edinburgh on Wednesday (July 27). Guptill achieved this feat en route to scoring 31-ball 40 as the Black Caps posted 225/5 batting first with Finn Allen scoring his maiden T20I century. The Scots, in reply, were restricted to 157/8 with Ish Sodhi claiming 4/28 and Mitchell Santner picking up 2/23.

Rohit 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.

During the course of this innings, Kiwi batter surpassed India skipper Sharma, who has 3,379 runs, to achieve this big milestone in the shortest format of the game. The right-handed Guptill now has 3,399 runs in T20Is, 20 runs more than Sharma.

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 and is closely followed by the Indian duo of Rohit and Kohli. Paul Stirling comes fourth with 2,894 T20I runs while the Australian skipper Aaron Finch is fifth with 2,855 runs.

The 35-year-old 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.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 225/5 (Finn Allen 101, Martin Guptill 40, James Neesham 30) bt Scotland 157/8 (Callum Macleod 33, Chris Greaves 31; Ish Sodhi 4/28, Mitchell Santner 2/23)

(with IANS inputs)