Glenn Phillips looked like a superhero in the Black Caps' first game of the T20 World Cup. This time, he batted like one.

Phillips saved New Zealand with a sparkling century against Sri Lanka tonight before Trent Boult and the bowlers ensured his heroics wouldn't go to waste.

After the Black Caps had slumped to 15-3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Phillips scored 104 runs from 64 balls to lift his side to 167-7, falling in the final over with the rescue mission complete.

Coming a week after Phillips wowed the crowd with a flying full-stretch catch in the crushing victory over Australia, the 25-year-old's powers were once more on full display.

They set up a second big win for a Black Caps team seemingly headed for yet another World Cup semifinal, with Boult's 4-13 spearheading a 65-run triumph.

New Zealand top group one with five points and a considerable advantage in net run rate. Their position could be even stronger had the weather played its part against Afghanistan, but any damage from that no result was lessened by Australia and England having their heavyweight clash rained out.

England will be the Black Caps' next opponents on Tuesday, but even defeat in that match will likely matter little as long as they then avoid an upset against Ireland in their final group match.

Much is owed to Phillips for that comfortable perch. Hit ton was the first scored by a batsman outside of the top three in a T20 World Cup, while he became the second Kiwi after Brendon McCullum to reach three figures at the tournament.

He and New Zealand received a significant slice of fortune early in his innings, when Pathum Nissanka spilled a simple catch at long on with Phillips on 12. From there, though, he seized control of the innings and the match, battling cramp as much as he did the Sri Lankan bowlers.

Such a commanding knock was sorely needed after the Black Caps' early stumbles.