New Zealand vs Australia, 2021: Second T20I - Martin Guptill’s record of sixes, Jimmy Neesham’s milestones and more stats

New Zealand have registered a thrilling victory against Australia in the second T20I of the five-match series. They have now taken a lead of 2-0 in the series. New Zealand posted a big total of 219/7 while batting first. Opener Martin Guptill played a wonderful knock of 97 runs off 50 balls with the help of 6 fours and 8 sixes. Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson hit a brilliant half-century scoring 53 runs off 35 balls. Jimmy Neesham played a quickfire knock of 45 runs off 16 balls in the end to boost the team total. 

While chasing this total, Australia kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Marcus Stoinis and Daniel Sams raised Australia’s hopes as they added 92 runs off only 37 balls for the seventh wicket. However, they were unable to take the team to a win. Australia finished with 215/8 in 20 overs losing the match by 4 runs. Stoinis scored 78 runs off 37 balls with the help of 7 fours and 5 sixes. Sams hit 41 runs off only 15 balls including 2 fours and 4 sixes. Martin Guptill was awarded player of the match for his glorious knock.

Let’s look at important stats and numbers after the end of the second T20I between New Zealand and Australia:     

132 – Martin Guptill hit a total of 8 maximums in his innings. He has now surpassed Rohit Sharma and registered most sixes in T20Is by a player. Guptill has 132 sixes in T20Is now, while Rohit has hit 127 maximums in his T20I career.

281.25 – Jimmy Neesham batted with a strike rate of 281.25 in his innings. This is the second-best strike rate for a Kiwi player in a T20I innings with a minimum of 15 balls. Colin Munro who hit 66 runs off 23 balls against West Indies in 2018 played with a strike rate of 286.95.

434 – A total of 434 runs were scored by both teams in this match. This is the second-highest match aggregate in a T20I match in New Zealand.

219/7 – New Zealand’s score today in the first innings was their fourth-highest innings total in T20Is.

41 – Daniel Sams’s score of 41 is the second-highest by an Aussie batsman while batting at number 8 in T20Is. Brett Lee who hit 43 runs off 21 balls is the only player ahead of Sams.

56 – Kyle Jamieson conceded 56 runs in his 4 overs. He is the joint third most expensive Kiwi bowler in an innings in T20Is.