Dasun Shanaka CPL Century
The Caribbean Premier League match between the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and the St Lucia Kings on September 3 is remembered not so much for the Patriots’ victory as for Dasun Shanaka’s century — the fastest in CPL history. This impressive achievement by the athlete became a highlight of the current season.
Dasun Shanaka CPL Century Leave a Mark in Caribbean Premier League
Dasun Shanaka, a professional cricketer from Sri Lanka currently playing for the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the CPL, achieved a significant milestone in a match against the St. Lucia team. The former Sri Lanka T20 captain scored a century. What sets this century apart from the results of other players? Dasun Shanaka scored CPL century in just 39 balls. This achievement immediately earned a place in the record books. Spectators had not witnessed such a dynamic performance from a player since 2018, when Andre Russell scored a century off 40 balls in a match between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago — the previous record. After his success, Shanaka noted that he had a clear plan before the game:
“Initially, my goal was simply to play according to the situation on the field—paying attention to the quality of the deliveries and the positioning of the opponents. After scoring 30 runs, I realized the wicket was excellent, so I decided to take more risks if the ball landed in my hitting zone; fortunately, that approach paid off. It was one of those days when everything went perfectly.” – Dasun Shanaka.
Incidentally, the match took place on Saint Kitts and Nevis’s home turf at the Warner Park Sporting Complex. Before the game, Shanaka had noted that he felt quite comfortable there. Along with scoring the fastest century, the player set another record: 121 runs without losing his wicket, the highest individual score in the CPL. The previous record was held by Evin Lewis, who scored 102 runs without the loss of a wicket.
Dasun Shanaka CPL Century Pushes Saint-Kitts to the Victory Against Kings
The current Caribbean Premier League season is not unfolding the way Patriots’ fans would have hoped for the 2021 champions. The team is struggling during the qualifying stage and is not currently in a position to contend for a second title. The signing of Dasun Shanaka is an attempt to improve on-field results. At the very least, fielding this experienced professional paid off in the season’s 25th match. The Patriots did not disappoint their home crowd.
The St Kitts & Nevis Patriots won the match against their rivals from St. Lucia by a commanding margin of 137 runs. The home team dominated the pitch from the very beginning of the game. Dasun Shanaka went out to the field only in tenth over before scoring his historic CPL century. This match was definitely the highlight of the season for the Patriots.
The Saint Lucia Kings won the toss and elected to bat, yet the game did not go well for them, to put it mildly. They missed the chance to dismiss Kyle Mayers as early as the second ball. Andre Fletcher scored actively and finished the powerplay with the score at 59–1 in favor of the Patriots. At the same time, he came close to being dismissed several times, but his opponents failed to capitalize on the opportunities presented to them.
Shanaka, who entered the game, began his stint with two sixes. He sent balls out of bounds from Kings captain Roston Chase and Keon Gaston with powerful shots. The batsman had already scored 50 runs off just 24 balls. This was followed by two more sixes and one four from the balls of his compatriot Mahish Tikshana. In the final over, Shanaka once again got the better of Gaston, adding a few sixes to his score, taking the Patriots’ score to 235/4.
The change of roles had no impact on the Kings: the Patriots continued to dominate on the field — this time while bowling — while St. Lucia lost wickets one after another. The only player who made any real attempt to salvage the situation was the experienced Tim Seifert. The New Zealander scored over 50 runs, but even that didn’t improve the situation. St. Lucia did not come anywhere near St. Kitts and Nevis’s total, and the Kings were forced to accept defeat.
Since Saint Kitts and Nevis already had four losses and one draw in eight matches prior to this victory, the Patriots’ position in the standings did not change significantly. The team finished outside the top four qualifying for the playoffs — as did St. Lucia, for that matter. For the fourth consecutive season, the Patriots were eliminated in the qualifying rounds. Nevertheless, thanks to Shanaka, there were some spectacular moments this time around.
