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On July 10th, five years ago, India faced a heart-wrenching defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the ICC World Cup 2019 semi-final. Despite a valiant effort by MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, India fell short in their chase of 240 runs, largely due to a pivotal moment when Dhoni was run out by Martin Guptill’s sensational throw from the deep.
The match, held at Old Trafford, saw India stumble early in their chase, losing five quick wickets. However, a resilient partnership between Dhoni and Jadeja revived hopes. Dhoni, known for his ability to finish games under pressure, almost engineered a miraculous comeback, especially after smashing a crucial six off Lockie Ferguson that brought the equation down to 25 runs needed from 10 balls.
Yet, fate took a cruel turn. On the very next ball, Dhoni attempted a quick second run to keep strike, but Guptill’s lightning-fast reaction and accurate throw found Dhoni inches short of the crease, sealing India’s fate and propelling New Zealand into the World Cup final.
Reflecting on the anniversary of that fateful match, Martin Guptill recently shared a humorous anecdote about the run-out incident, revealing that he’s received a fair share of teasing and perhaps some friendly banter from fans about that game-changing moment.
Martin Guptill shares a hilarious story on Instagram.
Half a decade on, Martin Guptill continues to face backlash from Indian fans for his run-out of MS Dhoni. Reflecting on the semi-final’s anniversary, the veteran cricketer took to Instagram, acknowledging the ongoing criticism directed at him.
“Figured out why I’m getting so much hate today,” Martin Guptill captioned the story.
Subsequent to that pivotal match, MS Dhoni did not participate in any further games for India. On August 15, 2020, he announced his retirement from international cricket. While he remains active in the Indian Premier League, speculation suggests that the 2024 season might mark his final appearance both as a batsman and wicketkeeper. Additionally, he passed the captaincy of the Chennai Super Kings to Ruturaj Gaikwad.
