ST KITTS: Dasun Shanaka smashed the fastest century in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) history as St Kitts and Nevis Patriots secured a thumping 137-run victory over Saint Lucia Kings at Warner Park in Basseterre on Thursday.
The Patriots posted an imposing 235 for four after Shanaka’s record-breaking hundred before bowling the Kings out for just 98. Jeremiah Louis starred with the ball, claiming five wickets to complete a dominant victory for the Patriots.
Asked to bat first, the Patriots made a slow start, scoring just 10 runs from the opening three overs while also losing Kyle Mayers. However, the momentum quickly shifted in the fourth over when Matthew Forde conceded a six, a four and five wides.
Andre Fletcher then smashed Maheesh Theekshana for 19 runs in the following over, before the Patriots struck three more boundaries in the sixth to reach 59 for one at the end of the Powerplay.
Fletcher was dropped in the seventh over and made the Kings pay immediately, bringing up his half-century from just 23 balls.
Roston Chase eventually broke the 81-run partnership between Fletcher and Johnson Charles by dismissing the latter in the 10th over, but the real carnage was still to come.
Shanaka launched his assault by smashing Joshua Bishop for two fours before hitting two sixes off Chase. The Kings dismissed Fletcher and Jason Holder in the space of two overs, but there was no respite as Shanaka continued his onslaught.
The Sri Lankan all-rounder brought up his fifty from just 24 balls before reaching his century in only 39 deliveries, setting a new record for the fastest century in CPL history.
Shanaka then smashed four sixes and a boundary in the final over as the Patriots finished on 235 for four.
The Kings’ chase never got going. After losing Kamil Pooran in the opening over, they also lost John Campbell and Charith Asalanka during the Powerplay to reach just 46 for three.
Wanindu Hasaranga dismissed Obus Pienaar in the following over before Louis took centre stage.
Introduced in the 10th over, Louis struck immediately, dismissing Chase and Forde with successive deliveries. Tim Seifert, who had been fighting a lone battle, was then dismissed by Ashmead Nedd in the following over.
Louis returned to remove Joshua Bishop before completing his five-wicket haul by dismissing Theekshana and Amari Goodridge in the 14th over.
The Kings were bowled out for just 98, with only three batters managing to reach double figures, as the Patriots completed a comprehensive 137-run victory.
