There was no shortage of highlight reel moments during Blackcaps batter Glenn Phillips' brutal T20 World Cup century on Saturday, although perhaps the most interesting came when he wasn't even on strike.
At the Sydney Cricket Ground, Phillips detonated to the tune of 104 runs off just 64 balls, rescuing the floundering NZ innings and setting up a comprehensive 65-run win over Sri Lanka.
But it was his decision to adopt a sprinter's start - crouched low as if he were on the starting blocks - at the non-striker's end that emerged as one of the main post-match talking points.
Phillips explained his innovative approach - which he insisted wasn't planned - was designed to further capitalise on his own speed between the wickets, while helping him avoid the increasingly likely danger of becoming a victim of the dreaded 'Mankad'.
"I guess the position was to be able to see the bowlers and take off as quick as possible," Phillips said. "From a sprinter's start when you're trying not to be out of the crease as much as possible.
"There's been a lot going around about Mankads and leaving the crease. At the end of the day, it's my responsibility to make sure that I'm in the crease and leave at the right time. If the bowler is doing his job, then he has the right to be able to take the bails off.
"For me to be able to get into that start, that position as quick as possible, it just made sense. It was very much spur of the moment."
In hindsight, Phillips admitted he'd been off the mark with his technique.
"I actually had my three-point start wrong, which my best mate's going to probably give me a little bit of stick for later on," he laughed.
"It's supposed to be the other arm and the other leg."
While some observers would question whether such a start really gives more of an advantage than the traditional practice of leaving the bat trailing and advancing up the wicket when backing up, Phillips insisted it suited him perfectly.
That said, he was unsure whether his new initiative would catch on.
"Obviously the extension of the bat being in the crease gives you another extra foot or two, but at the end of the day, I've got little arms," he noted.
"So, my speed is probably going to get me a little bit further than my reach is."
Clearly the tactic paid off, with the running between the wickets - particularly during his 84-run partnership with Daryl Mitchell - a feature of an innings he said would go down as his finest, particularly considering its context.
The century was his second in T20 international cricket, joining his swashbuckling 108 off just 51 balls during the Blackcaps' win over West Indies at Mount Maunganui in 2020.
"I think it's probably going to be at the top," Phillips assessed.
"I do have one other hundred and that was pretty special as well, but to be able to do it on a World Cup stage just adds a little bit more juice to it, which is kind of cool.
"To be able to have a World Cup win in front of a sticky situation is actually the most satisfying part."
Entering with the Blackcaps reeling at 7/2 in the third over, Phillips' savage knock included 14 boundaries, with his second 50 coming from only 22 balls.
In 2022, he's now averaging 51.36 in T20 internationals with a strike rate of 154.37.
"That was a very special knock," Mitchell said.
"He has got a lot of talent but to do it on a surface like that was challenging at times. I haven't seen many better T20 knocks under that sort of pressure."
The story could have been completely different for both Phillips and the Blackcaps had Pathum Nissanka held on to a relatively straightforward chance when he had just 12 runs to his name.
"At the end of the day, luck definitely does play a lot in this game, and today I was on the right end of the luck."
Phillips and his teammates will hope that luck continues for their next group clash with England at Brisbane on Tuesday, when a win would secure their spot in the semi-finals.
Join us at 9pm, Tuesday for live updates of the Blackcaps' T20 World Cup clash with England
