Tim Seifert blasts joint-quickest ton as Kings outclass Falcons, completing the fifth-highest ever chase in the competition.
Tim Seifert hits joint-fastest CPL ton as Kings chase 205 on a canter.
Tim Seifert’s incredible century enabled St Lucia Kings to easily defeat Antigua and Barbuda Falcons by six wickets at Gros Islet, setting the fifth-highest chase in the history of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Despite a 26-ball 61 from Shakib Al Hasan, Seifert’s 53-ball 125 not out helped Kings overtake their 205-run in 17.5 overs, tying Andre Russell for the fastest century in the CPL. The Falcons lost for the second time in a row.
Seifert started the chase in style, flat-batting the first legal delivery of the innings for a six over long-off. As Kings made their intentions apparent in the opening over, Imad Wasim gave up another six to Johnson Charles.
After Charles hit a six to bring Jayden Seales into the attack, Seifert quickly went 6, 4, 4 against the West Indies.
Charles gloving behind an attempted scoop by Salman Irshad gave the Falcons a brief reprieve, but Seifert showed no signs of slowing down.
To Shakib’s chagrin, he swept him for a six over square leg before missing a chance that fell safe between three convergent fielders.
Before Seales took 24 off Shakib, including three fours and two sixes, Akeem Auguste smashed Irshad for three straight fours. It was the third-best powerplay in CPL history, and the 92 runs the Kings scored were the most of the season.
Seifert hit Usama Mir for a four and a six in his first over immediately following the powerplay, but he responded by beating Auguste in flight to have him stumped in his subsequent over.
Before Irshad took a blinder at short leg off Odean Smith to end Chase’s innings, Seifert and Roston Chase kept the scoreboard moving.
But Seifert smashed consecutive sixes off Mir in the following over to reach 99 and finish his century with a single off the next ball.
With his season-high score of 125, Seifert finished undefeated and surpassed his countryman Colin Munro, this year’s only other centurion. Additionally, this was the second-highest CPL score ever.
At the end of the powerplay, Falcons were 51 for no loss after opening scorers Amir Jangoo and Jewel Andrew, but Tabraiz Shamsi’s arrival momentarily changed the tide of play. Before getting a thick edge from Karima Gore, he had Andrew skying one off his first ball. Roston Chase then made a brilliant catch at slip to dismiss the prolific batsman for a first-ball duck.
Shakib concluded the tenth over with back-to-back sixes off Chase, a slog sweep over midwicket followed by a smash down the ground, ending an 18-ball run without a boundary.
With two back-to-back sixes, three consecutive fours, and a 20-ball half-century on the second, Shakib thrashed David Wiese for 25 runs.
The following over, Jangoo swept Shamsi fine on the leg side after lofting him over long-off. Shakib’s one-handed six after hammering Alzarri Joseph inside out was his best shot of the day.
However, Shakib got a leading edge from an offcutter from Delano Potgieter, and Jangoo left for a 56 off 43 balls after misfiring on a reverse-sweep off Shamsi to David at short third.
Fabian Allen delivered the final blow with a 17-ball 38, pushing the Falcons over 200, while Smith stumbled to 11 off 15.