Glenn Phillips showed perfect timing to reach three figures and complete a three-year chase ahead of the Champions Trophy.

The allrounder lifted the Black Caps to a 78-run ODI win over Pakistan in Lahore on Sunday, 10 days before they face the same opponent in Karachi to begin the eight-team world event.

Phillips struck his maiden one-day 100 and claimed a key wicket to assist in easily defending a total of 330-6. The comprehensive victory almost sealed a spot in the final of a tri-series that also features an understrength South Africa, providing New Zealand the chance for another warm-up fixture ahead of their bid for a trophy they lifted in 2000.

Then, it was Chris Cairns who posed a formidable big-hitting presence in the middle order, stroking an unbeaten century in a triumph over India in the tournament final.

Now, Phillips has signalled his ability to turn solid platforms into significant totals, cracking seven sixes in a 74-ball knock of 106 not out.

The 28-year-old sat on 60 from as many deliveries before launching a blistering flurry in the 48th over, unleashing particular punishment on the usually reliable death bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi.

The world’s fourth-ranked bowler was helpless as Phillips collected four sixes from his final two overs, the No 6 allowed at last to raise his bat with two balls left in the innings.

“It was a pretty surreal moment. I’ve been chasing it for a couple of years now,” said Phillips. “Batting at six, it doesn’t necessarily mean your opportunities to score a 100 are always there.

“I started my professional career at the top of the order, where hundreds were a lot more achievable. To come into a position where the opportunity lay in that No 6-7 role and offering overs with the ball, it was always going to be a tough ask.

“Every sort of thing had to line up on the right day for it to happen, and thankfully today it did happen. I’ve had my chances in the past but today everything lined up nicely.”

Phillips had registered four half-centuries in 36 ODIs but in his previous two top innings – 72 against England in 2023 and 71 against Afghanistan at the 2023 World Cup – saw him dismissed with sufficient overs left to reach the greater milestone.

Glenn Phillips celebrates his century against Pakistan. Photo / AFP

In Lahore, his timing was impeccable, adjusting well to a two-pace pitch that had seen the Black Caps crawl to 135-4 in the 28th over while putting together handy partnerships with Daryl Mitchell (81 off 84) and Michael Bracewell (31 off 23).

“I don’t think it was necessarily about taking time as much as it was being able to actually hit the ball into gaps,” Phillips said. “That was just an overall theme for every batter today – until you were on 25 or 30 balls, it was pretty hard to find any fluency.

“We talked about trying to not necessarily leave all our effort and firepower for the boys at the death because they are incredible death bowlers. But sometime when someone’s on a heater and the pressure’s on, it definitely means the bowlers can miss.

“[Afridi] is a world-class bowler and unfortunately today he probably missed a little bit more than he would’ve liked. As a batter, I’m not going to complain about that.”

The Black Caps would have few complaints about the match – aside from Rachin Ravindra, who suffered a nasty blow to the head after losing the ball in the lights while fielding.

With Matt Henry (3-53) the only effective frontline seamer on either side, spin duo Bracewell and Mitchell Santner combined to claim 5-82 from 20 overs. Phillips essentially sealed the match by trapping dangerman Fakhar Zaman (84 off 69) but that achievement would rank second on a memorable day.

“ODI cricket has been my favourite format growing up and it’s always something I’ve been reaching for, to be able to get that century,” Phillips said. “I try to keep myself process-driven as much as possible but it’s nice to have some of those fruits coming out of the process taking care of itself.

“It was pretty special to be able to bring up a 100 – especially an overseas 100 in my favourite format.”

Tri-series

Black Caps v South Africa, Lahore, February 10

Pakistan v South Africa, Karachi, February 12

Final, Karachi, February 14

Champions Trophy

Black Caps v Pakistan, Karachi, February 19

Black Caps v Bangladesh, Rawalpindi, February 24

Black Caps v India, Dubai, March 2

Kris Shannon has been a sports journalist since 2011 and covers a variety of codes for the Herald. Reporting on Grant Elliott’s six at Eden Park in 2015 was a career highlight.