Glenn Phillips

“Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Glenn Phillips seen flying around the cricket ground!” This is a statement that often resonates in the commentary panel with the New Zealand cricketer for the athleticism that he boasts of on the cricket field. 

Born on December 6, 1996, in East London in Eastern Cape, South Africa, Glenn Dominic Phillips is one of the young and upcoming players from the New Zealand cricket team. He is primarily a wicketkeeper-batter but has donned the role of a dashing right-handed batter, a part-time but useful right-arm off-break bowler, and a gun fielder who hovers around the playing field like a cheetah. The South African-born cricketer has just recently cut his teeth in international cricket across formats and is a sure-shot asset for the Kiwis.

With an aggressive batting style coupled with his wicket-keeping skills, Phillips looks destined to make his mark at least in limited overs format. 

Glenn Phillips: Along the Years

Glenn Phillips Records

• Second batter to score a century across all formats in New Zealand’s domestic cricket history

• First batter to score a century across all formats in the same season in New Zealand’s domestic cricket

• Fastest century by New Zealander in T20Is (46 balls)

• Involved in the highest partnership for any wicket for New Zealand in T20Is with Devon Conway (184)

• Involved in the highest partnership for the third wicket for New Zealand in T20Is with Devon Conway (184)

• Involved in the highest partnership for the third wicket in T20Is with Devon Conway (184)

• Involved in the highest partnership for any wicket for New Zealand in T20Is with Devon Conway (184)

• Most sixes in T20s in 2021

• First No. 4 batter to score a century in T20 World Cups

• Second New Zealander to score a century in T20 World Cups

• Leading run-scorer for New Zealand in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023

• Joint-most ‘Player Of The Series’ awards for New Zealand in T20Is (3)

• Joint second-most centuries for New Zealand in T20Is (2)

Glenn Phillips Career

Glenn Phillips can bat, bowl, keep the wickets, and field astutely. He is a true showman for cricket’s global appeal and can mascot the game beyond boundaries single-handedly with his complete ability. The Kiwi cricketer’s energy level knows no limits and is contagious enough to savor for the future.

Glenn Phillips Domestic Career

Glenn Phillips started as a top-order batter to go with his wicket-keeping. He made his List-A debut for Auckland against Central Districts in New Plymouth in The Ford Trophy on January 24, 2015. Later, he also made it to the Kiwis squad for the 2016 edition of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

The Auckland player had a splendid T20 debut in the McDonald's Super Smash against the Otago Volts, making 55 off 32 deliveries while opening the batting. He turned out to be the highest scorer in the tournament ending with 369 runs. Phillips made his first-class (FC) debut for Auckland against Central Districts in the Plunket Shield in Auckland on March 6, 2017.

Glenn Phillips CPL Career

Glenn Phillips’s ability to score quickly at the top of the order will hold him in good stead as his career progresses.

In the Caribbean Premier League 2017 edition, the Jamaica Tallawahs roped in the services of Glenn Phillips. He also produced a few impactful knocks in the Caribbean Premier League, while playing for the Jamaica Tallawahs, being among the more successful franchises in the league.

In the next season, Phillips clobbered his maiden T20 century against St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, but a masterclass from fellow countryman Anton Devcich and a match-winning cameo from Ben Cutting meant that the Tallawahs lost an absolute thriller. After having a good couple of seasons with the bat, the New Zealander moved to the Barbados Royals for CPL 2021. He scored 254 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 128.28. 

Glenn Phillips T20 Blast Career

Glenn Phillips made his T20 Blast debut in the 2021 season for Gloucestershire. Across the two seasons, the explosive batter amassed 840 runs at a striking average of 44.21, including an unbeaten 94 off just 41 balls against Glamorgan, his T20 Blast highest. In addition to it, the part-timer has taken 7 wickets in 11 innings with the ball.

Glenn Phillips The Hundred Career

Glenn Phillips started his The Hundred career on a promising note. The top-order batter enjoyed a good season with the bat for the Welsh Fire in The Hundred 2021 by smashing a couple of half-centuries as well. After that, he could not live up to his potential and failed to deliver for Welsh Fire across two seasons.

Glenn Phillips MLC Career

Glenn Phillips featured for Washington Freedom in the inaugural edition of the Major League Cricket in 2023. He had a rather below-par season with the bat by scoring 122 runs in 6 innings.

Glenn Phillips LPL Career

Glenn Phillips made his Lanka Premier League debut in the latest edition of the LPL in 2024. He represented the Colombo Strikers and managed to score 252 runs in 8 innings with three half-centuries and a solitary wicket to his name.

Glenn Phillips IPL Career

For the T20 superstar he is, Glenn Phillips is yet to make an impression in the grandest cricketing league. The New Zealander was initially signed by the Rajasthan Royals (RR) as a replacement for the injured speedster Jofra Archer in IPL 2021. He made his IPL debut against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and scored an unbeaten cameo of 14 runs to seal the victory alongside Shivam Dube. He played a couple more matches and was released by the Royals ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction.

The Kiwi was up for grabs in the mega auction and the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) grabbed him with both hands for INR 1.5 crores. However, team combinations and heavy competition for the four-man overseas spot meant that the dashing batter had to sit out for most of his IPL career. In the IPL 2023 season, he could not convert his potential on paper and managed to score just 39 runs in 5 innings. In an almost successful campaign for the Sunrisers, Phillips had to warm the bench largely owing to team combinations. However, it would be interesting to see how the wicketkeeper-batter would fare in the IPL 2025 mega auction if he is released by the Orange Army.

Glenn Phillips International Career

Due to his early exploits in white ball cricket, Glenn Phillips had a rather smooth progression to international cricket. The South African-born batter has been a vital cog in the middle-order and his all-round skills have made him a potent asset for the Kiwis. His gun fielding is reminiscent of former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum. 

Glenn Phillips ODI Career

Glenn Phillips was granted a place in the ODI squad for the away series against India in late 2017, but could not make it to the final eleven for a single game. After a gap of five years, he made his ODI debut for New Zealand against Ireland in the first ODI of New Zealand’s tour of Ireland in Malahide on July 10, 2022. Phillips picked up his maiden ODI wicket in the form of Curtis Campher in the first innings. He scored a crucial 38 runs in the second innings as the Kiwis won a thriller of a game, courtesy of Michael Bracewell’s match-winning ton.

The New Zealander was selected for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India. He amassed 285 runs in 9 innings with a couple of centuries under his belt. Phillips was also handy with the ball, picking up 6 wickets at an economy of 5.82. He took a three-wicket haul against neighbors Australia, which remains his best ODI figures.

Glenn Phillips Test Career

Glenn Phillips made his Test debut for New Zealand against Australia in Sydney on January 3, 2020. He scored a half-century in his maiden outing in the longest format but was dismissed for a duck in the second innings.

Phillips has only featured in a handful of Tests for the Kiwis and has scored 4 half-centuries. He has been more efficient with the ball for the Black Caps, especially in sub-continental conditions. He registered his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests against Australia in Wellington in Australia’s tour of New Zealand in 2024. Subsequently, he also became the first Kiwi spinner to register a five-wicket haul at home in 16 years, previously recorded by former offie Jeetan Patel.

Glenn Phillips T20I Career

In February 2017, Glenn Phillips was added to New Zealand's Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for their series against South Africa, after Martin Guptill was ruled out due to injury. He made his T20I debut for New Zealand against South Africa at Eden Park, Auckland on February 17, 2017. He opened the innings alongside skipper Kane Williamson but was dismissed by Chris Morris for 5 runs. In his fourth T20 international, Phillips scored a quickfire 55 off 40 deliveries against the West Indies at Saxton Oval, ensuring that his success at first-class level was not just a flash in the pan.

Phillips scored the fastest T20I century for New Zealand when he recorded his maiden T20I century against West Indies in the second T20I at Mount Maunganui in the West Indies tour of New Zealand in 2020. He smashed 108 runs off just 51 deliveries and reached his century in a matter of 46 balls, bettering the previous record held by opener Colin Munro. He went on to feature in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 held in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The right-hand batter scored a quickfire 39 off just 21 balls at a strike rate of 185.21 against Namibia in the group stage. He struggled to get going in the knockout stages as New Zealand finished the tournament as the runners-up. 

In the next ICC T20 World Cup held in Australia in 2022, Phillips made a name for himself with his athletic fielding and resounding batting. In the group stage opener between hosts Australia and New Zealand, he pulled off a blinder of a catch to dismiss the dangerous Marcus Stoinis.

After a no-result game against Afghanistan, New Zealand faced Sri Lanka in their next encounter. The Kiwis succumbed to a mini-collapse at 15/3, but a Phillips masterclass ensured that NZ denied SL a victory. He single-handedly scored a century, his second in T20Is and for New Zealand in T20 World Cups after Brendon McCullum in the ICC World Twenty20 2012. His score of 104 in 64 balls was a matter of difference, with the next best being Daryl Mitchell’s 22. He continued his rich vein of form in the next match against eventual champions England. He scored 62 off just 36 deliveries while chasing, but his effort went in vain.

Phillips represented the Black Caps once again at the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in the West Indies and the United States of America. In what turned out to be a rather disastrous campaign for the Kiwis, Phillips tried his best to pull it back in their favor in a must-win encounter against the host Windies. He top-scored in the second innings, but could not take NZ past the target.

Glenn Phillips Under-19 Career

Glenn Phillips featured in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in 2016 alongside the likes of Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra. He scored 180 runs in 6 innings at an average of 30 and a more than healthy strike rate of 117.64. He opened the batting for the New Zealand Under-19s and scored a half-century against Nepal Under-19s. Phillips ssmashed 89 off just 40 balls, his highest score of the tournament, against the Scotland Under-19s.

Glenn Phillips Family

Cricket runs in Glenn Phillips’s family with his younger brother Dale Phillips also having represented the New Zealand Under-19s alongside Glenn at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2016. Glenn’s brother-in-law Donovan Grobbelaar was a former all-rounder who has represented Auckland.