Former Black Cap's astonishing act of sportsmanship as Guptill struck

Colin Munro, the former Black Caps powerhouse and current Desert Vipers skipper, has earned praise for his sportsmanship, displayed during the International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates.

In a remarkable turn of events, Munro’s former batting partner Martin Guptill was at the non-strikers’ end when he was hit by the ball, courtesy of a powerful Joe Denly stroke off a Shadab Khan delivery. Struck by the sheer force, Guptill tumbled to the ground well beyond the crease, only to be run out by a quick reaction from Khan as the ball came to rest dangerously close to the stumps.

In a rare and heartening display of the spirit of the game, Munro chose not to capitalise on the fortuitous dismissal. Instead, he decided to recall Guptill to the crease, nullifying the run-out.

Guptill was noticeably hurt, shaking his hand and getting it looked at by a staff member but batted on. Representing the Sharjah Warriors, he went on to showcase his batting prowess, scoring 39 runs off 32 balls, featuring four boundaries and a six, as the home side posted a total of 174/7. Guptill formed a 101-run partnership with skipper Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who scored 68 off 34 balls.

The Sharjah Warriors’ total proved to be sufficient, as the Desert Vipers could only manage 167/7 in response. Munro himself had a brief stint at the crease, heading back to the sheds after facing only two deliveries, ending his innings with a rare two-ball duck.

In the end, Munro’s decision to prioritise fair play and uphold the integrity of the game may have cost them the match but speaking afterwards, he said it was a “sloppy” game from his team.

“I think we batted well in the chase but slipped up at important moments. While we are not too worried about the dropped catches, we were sloppy, so we will assess this. We’re mentally prepared, if we execute our skills better, we will be good.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission