Martin Guptill lost 4.4kg before being dismissed just short of his century. Photo / Getty
Martin Guptill lost 4.4kg before being dismissed just short of his century. Photo / Getty
Attempting to win the T20 World Cup is thirsty work for the Black Caps.
Each player consumes at least 10 litres of liquids on matchdays in a bid to counteract the Arabian heat, a level of hydration that doesn't necessarily prevent extreme weight loss.
Opening batter Martin Guptillshed 4.4 kilograms during his match-winning innings of 93 off 56 balls against Scotland on Wednesday night, being seriously tested by temperatures of 33 degrees in Dubai.
And with the Black Caps' semifinal hopes on the line tonight against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi - where it is forecast to be 31 degrees throughout the game - the focus will be on ensuring Guptill and his teammates spend as much time with a bottle as a bat or ball.
To that end, Black Caps trainer Chris Donaldson outlined just what it takes to keep the players fresh and firing in the heat.
Before the game, the players will be weighed on arrival at the venue and a refractometer is available to measure hydration levels.
Each player has an individual hydration programme customised to their needs, while sweat testing was undertaken in conjunction with Otago University last summer to provide a gauge of players' hydration needs.
Those needs are met largely by hydration drinks - a combination of water and electrolytes - along with supplements such as gels.
During the game, the 12th man and training staff are stationed around the boundary to constantly service players with drinks, a particular focus being applied to bowlers and the wicketkeeper.
In the change of innings, all players receive pre-made protein shakes and those who have played major parts in the first innings - like Guptill against Scotland - are weighed to assess fluid loss and set a subsequent replenishing target.
Martin Guptill takes a breather during his match-winning knock against Scotland. Photo / Getty
After the game, the players are weighed again and the total weight lost determines the minimum target for a rehydration process, with the general rule being 1-1.5 litres of fluids required for every kilogram shed.
Ice baths and protein shakes play their part in that process and Donaldson estimated that on average each player would consume at least 10 litres of liquids in total - before, during and after the game.
The Black Caps prepared for the heat by acclimatising during the Indian Premier League or the pre-World Cup training camp in the United Arab Emirates.
"We probably trained in the hottest part of the day," coach Gary Stead said before the tournament. "It's 2pm and it's somewhere between 35-38 degrees. You can feel the burn pretty quick.
"We've just got to keep the fluids up. We had a run around today - it's a little bit about shock therapy and getting people back into the hot weather and working hard but also making sure we manage guys."
But preparation can count for only so much once out in the middle, as Guptill found out in an ordeal that Donaldson described as being at the extreme end for T20 cricket.
There is some good news for the Black Caps if they beat Afghanistan tonight - the semifinals and final are night games, when temperatures in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are forecast to drop to around a chilly 28 degrees.
