Martin Guptill made 237 not out against West Indies in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final — the highest individual score in World Cup history and in any knockout ODI match — as New Zealand won by 143 runs to reach their first World Cup semi-final in 23 years.
New Zealand's 2015 World Cup campaign was extraordinary — they won every group match. The quarter-final against West Indies at Wellington was meant to be a challenge, given the West Indian batting power of Gayle, Samuels, and Bravo. Martin Guptill's innings changed the nature of the contest entirely.
New Zealand batted first. Ross Taylor fell early. Guptill came in at three and immediately found his timing. By the 30-over mark he had made 100. By the 40th he had 150. By the 50th he had 237.
237 not out off 163 balls — strike rate of 145. Guptill hit 24 fours and 11 sixes. West Indies had Gayle, Holder, Narine and Taylor bowling. None found an answer.
New Zealand made 393/6. West Indies were bowled out for 250. New Zealand won by 143 runs. The margin was so large that Guptill's innings obscured everything else about the match.
Guptill's 237 stands as the highest score in any World Cup match and the second-highest ODI score ever (behind Rohit's 264). In the knock-out stages of a World Cup, facing the prospect of elimination, it is the most dominant individual batting performance the format has ever seen.
Guptill's century off 100 balls — World Cup quarter-final, clean striking
Guptill reaching 200 — only the third 200 in ODI history at the time
237* off 163 — the highest World Cup innings in history
March 21, 2015
World Cup quarter-final, Wellington
Over 30
Guptill reaches century
Over 50
Guptill not out 237 — New Zealand 393/6
West Indies innings
250 all out — New Zealand win by 143 runs
New Zealand reached the semi-finals (beat South Africa) and the final (lost to Australia). Guptill played the tournament of his life but could not convert it into a World Cup title. Australia won their fifth World Cup, beating New Zealand at the MCG.
The highest score in a World Cup match, made in a knockout game, against a genuine West Indian bowling attack. Guptill's 237 is the dominant individual batting performance in World Cup knockout cricket.
Guptill's 237 gives New Zealand a World Cup batting landmark to match any nation's. The innings confirmed that even in 50-over cricket, individual dominance of this scale was achievable in knockout situations.
Australia vs West Indies
1960-12-14
The first tied Test in 86 years of cricket history — Australia and West Indies finished level on 737 runs each after five days of breathless cricket in Brisbane, producing one of the most dramatic finishes the game has ever seen.
India vs Australia
1986-09-22
Twenty-six years after Brisbane, cricket produced only its second tied Test — Dean Jones's heroic 210 through crippling heat and Dean Jones's fever, Ravi Shastri's unbeaten 48 and India needing 2 off the last over, only for Maninder Singh to be out lbw off the final ball.
Australia vs South Africa
1999-06-17
Lance Klusener smashed Australia to the brink of elimination, then ran out Allan Donald off the penultimate ball to tie the match — but Australia advanced to the final on superior run rate, ending South Africa's greatest World Cup campaign in devastating fashion.