The batter smashed Shaheen Afridi's last over for 25 runs
Anyone who has watched Glenn Phillips knows he is box office gold – an absolute livewire in the field capable of pulling off impossible catches and a lightning bolt between the wickets. The cricketing world is also aware of his hitting prowess, having seen his two T20I hundreds against West Indies and Sri Lanka. Strangely enough, Phillips had no centuries to his name in the longer formats of the game, until Saturday.
In the first ODI of the Tri-Series in Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Phillips walked in at 135/4 in the 28th over after New Zealand lost two quick wickets after a 95-run partnership between Daryll Mitchell (84) and Kane Williamson (58). Phillips began his innings in tepid fashion, taking 49 deliveries to score his first 29 runs. It was an unusual Phillips innings as he had just two boundaries as the Kiwis crossed 200 by the 38th over.
It wasn’t until the 43rd over when he began his rampage against the hosts. It began with targeting part-time spinner Salman Agha for a six straight over the bowler’s head.
Agha got smacked for two sixes in his next over with Phillips punishing him for bowling too short.
Pakistan skipper Mohammed Rizwan brought back his frontline quicks for the last five overs to contain Phillips but things only ramped up.
After reaching his fifty in 55 balls, Phillips squeezed Naseem Shah for 12 runs in the 47th over. It still didn’t look like he will reach three-figures at this point as he was on 59 off 59.
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But two back-to-back sixes off Shaheen Afridi which included a ridiculous reverse ramp shot took him to 75 off 64 balls within a space of five balls. A six off Naseem in the next over took the Black Caps over the 300-run mark and Phillips to 83 off 64 balls.
But the full fury was reserved for Shaheen as Pakistan’s pace spearhead ran in for the final over. The left-armer tried to keep the ball outside Phillips’ hitting arc but only managed to bowl two wides.
When he went for a yorker, Phillips pulled out a reverse scoop again for a four. Two more slower balls from Shaheen saw the ball sail into the stands that were in a frenzy by that time.
A low full-toss from Shaheen was enough for Phillips to run two and bring up his maiden ODI hundred within just 72 balls. Another boundary and single took the over for 25 runs as Phillips walked off to a standing ovation from the Lahore crowd.
As a result New Zealand set the hosts a target of 331. It is a great sign for Gujarat Titans ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 as they snapped up the Kiwi hitter for INR 2 crore.
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