Thisara Perera smashed records in the Lanka Premier League today, blasting an incredible unbeaten 97 off 44 for Jaffna Stallions against Dambulla Viiking.

Batting at No.7, the Sri Lanka all-rounder found his team in a hole when he came in during the ninth over, floundering at 64-5.

He took his time to get set, nudging his way to 13 off 13 balls, before striking two sixes and a four from consecutive balls bowled by Lahiru Kumara. There was no looking back as the Jaffna Stallions captain began to plunder boundaries all around the park.

Still, heading into the 19th over, Jaffna Stallions looked on course for a strong total, but not necessarily a match-winning one. But with Kumara returning to bowl, and Perera having already shown a liking for what the seamer was offering up, 172-7 became 202-7 in an instant. Two fours were followed by three sixes, before Perera finished off with another boundary.

All of a sudden, a scarcely believable hundred was just 11 runs away, but it took the hard-hitting batsman three balls to get back on strike, and he finished on 97 not out. That still left him with the second-highest score by a No.7 in T20s, and the highest in the first innings. The only knock above him is an even more unfathomable 49-ball 121* by Andre Russell in the 2018 Caribbean Premier League. Chasing 224 against Trinbago Knight Riders, he came in with Jamaica Tallawahs 41-5 in the seventh over, before turning the game around in stunning style.

While Perera isn’t quite Russell, his knock was still more than enough for Jaffna Stallions to emerge victorious, with that 30-run over the undoubted highlight. Watch the six-ball blitz below:

 

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