The defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors, who got out of jail in their opening game of the 2024 edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) announced themselves on Wednesday, September 4 (as per local time) by smashing the second-highest team total in the tournament history against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
Shimron Hetmyer and Rahmanullah Gurbaz starred for the Warriors as the visitors notched up 266 runs in their 20 overs on a flat track in Basseterre, St Kitts.
The Warriors went past Jamaica Tallawahs’ score of 255, which was the second-highest in CPL history earlier. However, the day belonged to Shimron Hetmyer to achieved history on Wednesday night in Basseterre. Hetmyer, who smashed a whirlwind 91 off 39, hit 11 sixes during his knock but not a single boundary.
Hetmyer blasts the Warriors to a massive total. #CPL #CPL24 #SKNPvGAW #CricketPlayedLouder #BiggestPartyInSport #SkyFair pic.twitter.com/JXEePz0T1l
— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 5, 2024
This is the first time in T20 cricket history that a batter has hit more than 10 sixes in an innings without hitting a single four. Riki Wessels had the record in his name previously for hitting the most sixes without a boundary in T20 cricket when he hit nine maximums during a T20 Blast game in 2019 for Nottinghamshire.
Shimron Hetmyer Dismissed The Bowler From His Presence
One of the standout moments of the match came in the last ball of the seventh over when Hetmyer smashed Veerasammy Permaul for a massive six.
It was a classic display of his explosive power, as he cleared his front leg and launched the ball over long-on with ease. He took full advantage of the delivery that was in the slot.
— Cricket Cricket (@cricket543210) September 5, 2024
Most sixes in an innings by a batter without a four in T20 cricket
11 – Shimron Hetmyer (GAW vs SKN) during 91 off 39, Basseterre 2024
9 – Riki Wessels (Notts vs Worcs) during 55 off 18, Worcester 2018
8 – Will Jacks (Surrey vs Kent) during 64 off 27, Canterbury 2019
8 – Syed Aziz (Malaysia vs Singapore) during 55 off 20, Bangi 2022
8 – Dipendra Singh Airee (Nepal vs Mongolia) during 52* off 10, Hangzhou 2023
8 – Heinrich Klaasen (SRH vs KKR) during 63 off 29, Kolkata 2024
The SKN vs GAW game also equalled the record for most sixes in a T20 match – 42. The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings game earlier this year in IPL 2024 also witnessed 42 sixes being hit in the match.
The Patriots gave a spirited fight to the Warriors’ 266 with skipper Andre Fletcher leading from the front with a 33-ball 81. However, he didn’t get any support from the other end and the Patriots fell short by 40 runs.