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In a thrilling encounter at Warner Park, St. Kitts, Evin Lewis showcased his batting prowess with a stunning century, but it was the Saint Lucia Kings who emerged victorious by five wickets in the fifth match of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024.
Evin Lewis’ magnificent ton
Lewis delivered a breathtaking performance for the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, scoring an explosive unbeaten 100 runs off just 54 balls in their match against the Saint Lucia Kings. His innings was a masterclass in T20 batting, featuring a remarkable display of power hitting that included seven fours and nine sixes.
Lewis began his innings under pressure, with the Patriots losing their captain, Andre Fletcher, for just one run in the opening over due to a run-out. However, he quickly took charge, forming a formidable partnership with Kyle Mayers. Together, they propelled the Patriots to a strong position, scoring 54 runs during the powerplay.
The highlight of Lewis’s innings was his ability to dominate the bowlers. He reached his fifty in just 24 balls, showcasing his aggressive intent. In the eighth over, Lewis struck three consecutive sixes off Mikkel Govia, sending a clear message to the Kings’ bowlers. He continued to accelerate, hitting a six and two fours off Alzarri Joseph, which helped the Patriots reach 100 runs by the end of the 10th over.
Despite a rain interruption in the 19th over, Lewis remained focused and brought up his century in the final over of the innings. His remarkable performance helped the Patriots post a formidable total of 201 runs for three wickets in 20 overs.
Here’s the video:
Evin Lewis goes down in the history books with CPL 2024 first century and tonight’s Republic Bank play of the day.#CPL24 #SKNPvSLK #CricketPlayedLouder #BiggestPartyInSport #RepublicBank pic.twitter.com/TUS90v9zJl
— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 2, 2024
Also WATCH: Nicholas Pooran’s relentless barrage of 9 sixes against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in CPL 2024
Lewis and Mayers’ record partnership in CPL
The partnership between Mayers and Lewis was a sight to behold. Both batters played aggressive cricket, hitting sixes at will and racing to their half-centuries in style. As the innings progressed, the duo continued to dominate, setting their sights on individual centuries. Their partnership surpassed the previous record for the highest partnership in CPL, a feat that showcased their exceptional batting skills.
Despite losing Fletcher early on, Lewis and Mayers quickly stabilized the innings, scoring 54 runs in the powerplay. Lewis reached his half-century in just 24 balls, while Mayers followed suit with a 37-ball fifty. The Patriots ended their innings with a run rate of 10.05, setting a challenging score of 201 for the Kings to beat.
Saint Lucia Kings’ remarkable chase
In response, the Saint Lucia Kings faced early setbacks, losing their captain Faf du Plessis and Johnson Charles cheaply. However, Tim Seifert and Bhanuka Rajapaksa led a remarkable recovery. Seifert scored a blistering 64 runs off just 27 balls, while Rajapaksa remained not out at 68 off 35 balls. Their partnership of 103 runs for the fifth wicket proved crucial as they counter-attacked the Patriots’ bowlers, reaching the target with 2.4 overs to spare.
David Wiese also played a vital role, finishing the innings with an unbeaten 34 runs off 20 balls. The Kings’ innings was marked by aggressive batting, with Seifert hitting six sixes and Rajapaksa adding four of his own. The Kings ultimately chased down the target, finishing at 202 for 5 in 17.2 overs, demonstrating their resilience and ability to perform under pressure.
This match highlighted the thrilling nature of T20 cricket, where individual brilliance from Lewis was overshadowed by a collective team effort from the Saint Lucia Kings. With this victory, the Kings started their CPL campaign on a high note, while the Patriots will look to regroup and bounce back in their upcoming matches. The match not only showcased explosive batting but also set the stage for an exciting season ahead in the CPL.
