Martin Guptill blasted an astonishing 237 not out as New Zealand secured their place in the World Cup semi-finals with a 143-run hammering of West Indies at the Wellington Regional Stadium.
The opening batsman, dropped in the first over, surpassed Chris Gayle’s record for the highest score in a 50-over showpiece by 12 runs during a remarkable 163-ball innings which included 24 fours, 11 maximums and 65 dots.
Guptill, who struck a century against Bangladesh in his last outing, faced the first and final delivery of the Black Caps’ innings that finished on a mammoth 393 for six.
Gayle got the chase off to a flying start, hitting two fours and eight sixes in a 33-ball 61, but his dismissal in the 17th over signalled the end of the Windies’ hopes.
Trent Boult became the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 19 by taking 4-44 as the Windies managed just 13 more runs than Guptill, dismissed for 250 in the 31st.
Victory for the co-hosts set up a last-four clash with South Africa at Eden Park in Auckland on Tuesday.
Guptill, an overseas signing for Derbyshire this season, said: “After I got the hundred, I just thought I should probably hit a few boundaries. It was the quickest outfield I have played on here. You got value for your shots.
“(It was an) incredible crowd. A step-up from the England game. (We will) let this win sink in, we will think of the semi-final after that.
“The 237 hasn't really sunk in. We still have a lot of work to do, so can't dwell too much on this."
New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum added: "The innings we witnessed is probably one of the best we have ever seen in this format. Sublime. Just sublime. I will never forget it.”
237* - @Martyguptill hit 11 6s today, only @coreyanderson78 (14 v WI in 2014) has hit more in an ODI for NZ. Maximum. pic.twitter.com/c7C1lCxksn
— OptaJason (@OptaJason) March 21, 2015
Things could have been so much different had Marlon Samuels held on to Guptill at square-leg from the third ball of the match.
West Indies did have success in the fifth over when Jason Holder took an impressive catch over his shoulder at deep-cover to remove McCullum for 12.
But Guptill took on the responsibility and found plenty of support along the way, sharing impressive stands of 62, 143, 46 and 55 with Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, who was second top-scorer with 42, Corey Anderson and Grant Elliott respectively.
The right-hander required 111 deliveries to reach three figures before going through the gears, needing just another 41 balls to become the fifth batsman to make a one-day international double-ton.
Jerome Taylor added Elliott and Luke Ronchi to his earlier scalp of McCullum and although Andre Russell removed Williamson and Anderson, he conceded 96 from his full allocation.
That was down to Guptill - strong down the ground - ending the innings in style, taking 92 of New Zealand’s 153 runs from the last 10 set of sixes, including a six onto the ‘Cake Tin’ roof in the final over.
Despite Gayle providing some early fireworks, hitting 49 of his first 50 runs on the leg side, he was losing the battle as Boult took four wickets in a superb 10-over spell.
The left-armer was given a helping hand in ending the third-wicket stand of 53, the highest of the innings, between Gayle and Samuels when veteran Daniel Vettori leapt high to his left on the deep-point boundary to hold on to a stunning one-handed catch.
Gayle’s eight maximums took him to a record 37 in World Cups, one ahead of AB de Villiers, but he played on to Adam Milne.
Although Darren Sammy, Jonathan Carter, Russell and Holder contributed, the Windies were always going to fall short.
This was the amazing catch by Vettori on the boundary. @BLACKCAPS on top in Wellington http://t.co/Zep9GeP8Qppic.twitter.com/NT01E8jGAS
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) March 21, 2015