Basseterre [Saint Kitts and Nevis], September 4 : Dasun Shanaka smashed the fastest century in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) history as St Kitts and Nevis Patriots kept their playoff hopes alive with a record 137-run win over St Lucia Kings on Thursday (local time).
Shanaka's unbeaten 121 off just 43 balls powered Patriots to 235 for four after they were asked to bat first, before Jeremiah Louis' maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket helped bowl Kings out for 98 in 13.5 overs, according to Cricinfo.
The Sri Lankan reached his century in just 39 balls, surpassing the previous record for the fastest CPL hundred, while his spectacular innings included eight fours and 12 sixes.
Shanaka walked in during the 10th over with Patriots on 89 for two but transformed the innings with an explosive assault. He began with consecutive sixes against Roston Chase before launching an attack on the Kings' bowling attack.
He reached his half-century from 24 balls and continued his charge even after Andre Fletcher and Jason Holder departed in consecutive overs. Shanaka then smashed Maheesh Theekshana for two sixes and a four before ending the innings in spectacular fashion.
The final over, bowled by Keon Gaston, went for 28 runs as Shanaka struck four sixes and a four, helping Patriots score 93 runs in the final five overs.
Shanaka also shared a 93-run partnership from just 31 balls with Wanindu Hasaranga, who remained unbeaten alongside him as Patriots posted the highest total of the match.
Fletcher provided the platform with a 64-run knock, although he was given two chances during his innings. He was dropped on 43 by Matthew Forde at long-on and survived another chance later in the same over.
The Kings' chase never gathered momentum. Kamil Pooran fell for a duck in the opening over before Hasaranga struck twice to reduce them to 55 for four.
Louis then dismissed Chase and Forde off successive deliveries as Kings slipped to 74 for six. Tim Seifert offered some resistance with a 36-ball fifty, but lacked support from the rest of the batting line-up.
Louis completed his maiden T20 five-wicket haul in only his 10th T20 appearance, taking five of the final six wickets to dismiss Kings for 98.
The victory strengthened Patriots' position in fifth place and dramatically improved their net run rate from -0.547 to 0.593, keeping their playoff hopes alive. Kings, meanwhile, saw their net run rate fall to -0.888.
Patriots' 137-run victory was their biggest win by runs in CPL history and came after Shanaka had expressed his enjoyment of playing for the franchise.
"I'm loving it here," Shanaka had said before the match -- a statement he emphatically backed up with the record-breaking century.