Rahkeem Cornwall’s 45-ball century for Barbados Royals’ becomes the third-highest run-chase in CPL history, crowned by his trademark ‘bat drop’ celebration in CPL 2023.
In a thrilling showdown at Kensington Oval, Rahkeem Cornwall, the versatile all-rounder for the Barbados Royals (BR), unleashed a remarkable 45-ball century that propelled his team to a stunning victory against the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots (SNP).
This incredible feat was made even more memorable as Cornwall celebrated his century with a trademark ‘bat drop’ after scoring a single down to long-on. His explosive innings, comprising four boundaries and an astonishing 12 maximums, ranks as the joint third-fastest century in CPL history, a record shared only with Andre Russell’s 40 and 42-ball hundreds.
Cornwall smashed a decisive straight six off Benny Howell, pushing himself to 99 runs before securing his century with a single in the 15th over. His blistering 102 off 48 deliveries before retiring hurt proved unstoppable as Barbados remarkably chased down a daunting 221-run target, achieving victory with eight wickets in hand in just the 19th over.
In a heartwarming gesture, the jubilant 30-year-old dedicated his match-winning CPL 2023 century against St. Kitts to his son, who celebrated a birthday on that day.
“The pitch was really good. Today is my son’s birthday. I dedicate my hundred to my two sons; they backed me from day one. I always back myself to give the team a good start,” Cornwall said in the post-match presentation.
The crowd keep me going, especially every time I hit a six, they cheering hard. I just had to give something to them to cheer about. I think once I got past the half stage, I think I could go big. I would say thanks for the support (to the fans) and thanks to my family,” he added.
Cornwall entered the match with a disappointing season, averaging just 14.60 with the bat and claiming only one wicket in five games. Despite his modest T20 career average of 21.65, he boasts an impressive strike rate exceeding 150.
Last season, he played a pivotal role in the Royals topping the points table, accumulating 242 runs in nine games. Although yet to feature for the West Indies in white-ball formats, the off-spinning all-rounder has participated in ten Tests, recording two half-centuries with the bat and securing two five-wicket hauls.
Last Updated on September 4, 2023
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