Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 17 : New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips levelled with Colin Munro to become team's joint second-highest six-hitter in history of T20I cricket.
Phillips achieved this milestone during his side's ICC T20 World Cup match against Canada in Chennai. During his knock, Phillips slammed four boundaries and six maximums, scoring 76* in just 36 balls.
Now, this powerful, burly and clean striker of the cricket ball has 107 maximums to his name, levelling him with Munro. Former batter Martin Guptill, for long a staple of Kiwis white-ball side, holds the record for his team with 173 sixes.
So far in the tournament, Phillips has scored 119 runs in three innings at an average of 59.50 and a strike rate of over 185, with a fifty to his name. His other scores have been one against South Africa and a 25-ball 42 against Afghanistan.
Coming to the match, Canada won the toss and opted to bat first. Yuvraj Samra's record breaking century, making him the youngest centurion in T20 WC history (110 in 65 balls, with 11 fours and six sixes) and skipper Dilpreet Bajwa (36 in 39 balls, with four boundaries) led from the front as Canada posted 173/2 in 20 overs.
During the chase, Kiwis lost Tim Seifert (6) and Finn Allen (21 in eight balls, with two fours and a six) early and sunk to 30/2, but Phillips (76* in 36 balls, with four boundaries and six sixes) and Rachin Ravindra (59* in 39 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) took NZ to a win by 15.1 overs, stitching a 146-run stand.
Phillips was given the 'Player of the Match' award. NZ, with three wins and loss, occupy the second spot in their group and successfully move to Super Eights along with South Africa.