'I am just really clear at the moment' - Glenn Phillips talks about his batting after New Zealand's win against Pakistan

February 19, 2025 witnessed the start of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. The first match was played between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi and it was the BlackCaps who had the last laugh in the opening game of the tournament where they dominated the hosts with both bat and ball.

The surface at the National Stadium was tricky from the beginning where the pacers were getting some uneven bounce and the spinners some grip. However, the New Zealand batters had everything under control and put up a big total of 320 in the first innings. Though it was Will Young and Tom Latham who scored centuries on the day, the destructive batting of Glenn Phillips also caught the eye of the fans and the experts alike. He also explained the reason behind being successful as an attacking batter and how the team has been successful in adapting to the conditions.

“I'm just really clear at the moment, I'm seeing the ball really well and I guess being still at the point of contact and I think that goes a long way in being able to be a hitter, I haven't always got it right in the past, but I've got a little bit of a feel for it for the moment,” Phillips said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

“I think we've played a different pitch and it's played a different way every time we've been here [Karachi]. The pacers I think were definitely harder to play in the day when the ball was going up and down a lot. The way Matt Henry and Will O'Rourke bowled [in the chase], it was a testament to how good they did but I think during the day the way the Pakistan boys bowled, especially at the top, made it quite tough for us to get away early on. I think we've been really adaptable to different styles of pitches, and it was nice to see some turn out there in the evening,” Phillips added.

Also Read - Latham and I knew we were in a little bit of trouble three down: Will Young

Speaking of Phillips innings, he scored 61 off just 39 deliveries which featured three fours and four sixes. Phillips was striking at 156.41. This was an innings that helped boost the Kiwi innings to a big total. Apart from this, he also took a phenomenal catch at backward point to send Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan back to the pavilion.