World Cup 2023 [WATCH]: Glenn Phillips cleans up Travis Head with a ripper – AUS vs NZ

An exhilarating face-off has unfolded as Australia and New Zealand take on each other in Match 27 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Dharamsala’s HPCA Stadium on Saturday.

In the high-octane encounter, Australian batter Travis Head emerged as the hero of the day, leaving fans and experts in awe of his remarkable performance. In his first appearance in the tournament, the left-handed batter announced his arrival by notching up a blistering century.

David Warner-Travis Head lead Australia to a mammoth total

Batting first, the Aussie opening duo of Head and David Warner unleashed an aggressive assault on the New Zealand bowlers from the outset. Their onslaught included a flurry of boundaries, and they maintained a remarkable scoring rate, exceeding ten runs per over. By the conclusion of the first five overs, Australia had surged to 60/0, leaving the Kiwi bowlers searching for answers.

The momentum of Warner and Head remained undeterred. Warner achieved his half-century in just 28 balls, while Head marked his return with a fifty in only 25 deliveries. Together, they notched up a remarkable partnership of 100 runs in under nine overs.

However, after the powerplay, the New Zealand spinners succeeded in slowing down the scoring rate. Glenn Phillips made a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Warner for 81. On the other side, Head continued his dominating performance and swiftly reached a century in 59 balls, making him the quickest batter ever to achieve this feat on a World Cup debut. But then Phillips struck again, sending Head back to the pavilion after scoring 109.

Despite some struggles in the later phase of the game, Australia compiled a formidable total of 388. Glenn Maxwell (41) and Josh Inglis (38) also contributed valuable runs to lead their side to a dominating total.

Also READ: World Cup 2023 – Netizens react as Travis Head hits a stunning comeback century in AUS vs NZ clash

Glenn Phillips’ breath-taking delivery to dismiss Travis Head

A noteworthy incident unfolded on the second ball of the 24th over when Phillips bowled a quicker delivery, aiming at the stumps. Head initially set himself up to play the ball on the front foot. However, his decision to shift back and attempt a cut shot proved to be a costly one. The ball zipped through unexpectedly, narrowly missing the edge of Head’s bat and dismantling the stumps, marking the end of a breath-taking batting display by the Adelaide-born cricketer.

Here is the video:

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