Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka created history in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on Thursday by scoring the fastest century in the tournament’s history.
Playing for the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots against the St Lucia Kings in Basseterre, Shanaka reached his century in just 39 balls. His powerful batting helped the Patriots post a huge total and secure a comfortable victory.
Shanaka Produces a Stunning Knock
Shanaka finished the innings unbeaten on 121 runs from only 43 balls. His innings included eight fours and 12 sixes, as he attacked the Kings’ bowlers from almost every part of the ground.
His century broke the previous CPL record of a 40-ball hundred, which was jointly held by Andre Russell and Tim Seifert.
Shanaka’s aggressive batting changed the game in a short period. After taking some time to settle, he began hitting boundaries regularly and eventually reached his century in spectacular fashion.
Patriots Post 235 Runs
Shanaka was not the only Patriots batter to make an impact. Andre Fletcher also played an important innings, scoring a quick 64 runs from 38 balls.
Together, the two batters helped St Kitts & Nevis Patriots reach an impressive 235/4 from their innings.
The huge target put the St Lucia Kings under immediate pressure. Their batting line-up struggled against the Patriots’ bowling attack and could not build a strong partnership.
The Kings were eventually bowled out for just 98 runs in 13.5 overs, giving the Patriots a massive victory.
Shanaka Explains His Batting Plan
After the match, Shanaka explained how he planned his innings.
He said his initial plan was to play carefully during the first 30 balls and understand the pitch before taking bigger risks. Once he felt comfortable with the conditions, he started attacking the bowlers.
Shanaka said the wicket appeared good for batting after he had scored around 30 runs. Whenever he received a ball in his preferred area, he decided to take the opportunity and attack.
The strategy worked perfectly as he went on to produce one of the most remarkable batting performances in CPL history.
Move Up the Batting Order
Shanaka also spoke about his change in batting position. He normally bats lower down the order, but against the Kings, he was promoted from No. 7 to No. 3.
He said the decision was made by head coach Malonan Rangarajan and captain Jason Holder. The move gave Shanaka more time at the crease and allowed him to make full use of his batting ability.
The decision proved highly successful as Shanaka turned the opportunity into a record-breaking innings.
Holder Praises Shanaka
Patriots captain Jason Holder praised Shanaka for his performance.
Holder said Shanaka had been in excellent form and made the most of his opportunity. He also praised the batter for taking his time at the beginning of the innings before increasing the scoring rate.
According to Holder, Shanaka showed good control early in the innings and then produced an explosive finish when the conditions were right.
Shanaka in Excellent Form
Shanaka’s record-breaking innings is part of an impressive CPL season for the Sri Lankan all-rounder.
He has scored 255 runs in six innings this season, with a remarkable strike rate of more than 229. His recent performances have made him one of the most dangerous batters in the Patriots’ line-up.
His ability to score runs quickly has also provided the team with an important advantage during the middle and final stages of innings.
Patriots Remain in Playoff Race
The victory has strengthened St Kitts & Nevis Patriots’ position in the CPL playoff race.
The Patriots currently sit fifth in the CPL standings with seven points from eight matches. They still have a chance to qualify for the playoffs and will need strong performances in their remaining games.
Their next match will be against the Guyana Amazon Warriors on Sunday.
With Shanaka in outstanding form, the Patriots will hope that the Sri Lankan all-rounder can continue producing powerful performances as they push for a place in the playoffs.