Defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs have acquired the services of explosive New Zealand batsman Glenn Phillips for the 2017 edition of the Caribbean Premier League.

Phillips who made his T20 international debut against South Africa earlier this year, will join the Tallawahs as the franchise’s fifth overseas player, Shakib Al Hasan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mohammad Sami and Imad Wasim.

The 20-year-old was the highest run-getter in New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition last season with 369 runs in ten innings, at a strike rate of 143.

He struck 5 fifties and a century in the tournament, becoming the first New Zealand player to hit centuries across first-class, List A and T20 formats in the same season.

The performance earned him a call-up for the sole T20I on South Africa’s tour of New Zealand in February.

The Tallawahs meanwhile have played two matches so far with one win and a loss.

They return to action on Wednesday against Trinbago Knight Riders at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain.

The Knight Riders, who are yet to taste defeat, lead the table on maximum 4 points.

Their most recent outing saw them beating the St. Lucia Stars – the team of Marlon Samuels and Jerome Taylor – by 4 wickets on Monday.