Former New Zealand batter Martin Guptill recently posted a cheeky remark while reminiscing about the fifth anniversary of his crucial direct hit that ran out MS Dhoni during the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final. At a precarious 24/4 in their pursuit of New Zealand’s 239, India’s hopes looked bleak.
The situation worsened for the Men in Blue as they stumbled to 92/6 in the 31st over when Dhoni arrived at the crease. Never one to be daunted by high-pressure scenarios, the legendary finisher absorbed the pressure and edged India closer to a miraculous victory.
However, with 25 runs needed off 10 deliveries, disaster struck. Attempting to retain the strike, Dhoni pushed for a second run after pulling the ball towards the short fine leg region. Guptill sprinted across and unleashed a bullet throw from the deep, catching Dhoni just short of his ground with a breathtaking direct hit.
Needless to say, this moment shattered India’s World Cup dreams as they were reduced to 216/8, needing an improbable 24 off 9 balls. Guptill, reflecting on the incident, posted now-deleted images of the run-out on his Instagram with the caption:
“Figured out why I am getting so much hate today.”
This ill-fated run-out also marked Dhoni’s final appearance for India, as they succumbed to an 18-run defeat and bowed out of the tournament. Meanwhile, New Zealand faced their heartbreak, losing to hosts England in a Super Over in the grand finale.
“I Get Plenty of Hate Mails from There” – Martin Guptill
In an interview last year, Guptill revealed that he still receives hate messages from Indian fans over the infamous run-out of MS Dhoni in the 2019 World Cup.
Renowned for his exceptional fielding, Guptill has a history of delivering in crucial moments. His brilliance was also evident in the 2011 ODI World Cup when he ran out AB de Villiers in the quarterfinals, effectively ending South Africa’s title hopes.
“In other words, the whole of India doesn’t like me. I get plenty of hate mails from there,” Guptill candidly admitted in an interview with Hindustan Times. He recounted the moment, saying:
“It’s one of those things that happened so quickly. All I remember was the ball going up, and I thought, ‘Oh no, it’s coming towards me.’ I put on the skates to get there. I knew there was no chance of a throw at the stumps, but I just took a shot. I had one and a half stumps to aim at, and I got lucky. The stars aligned, and it was a perfect throw.”
Martin Guptill announced his retirement from international cricket in November 2023, concluding a stellar career that spanned from 2009 to 2022.
