Sri Lankan smashes 277 off 72 balls in Twenty20 match

LONDON: It is no secret that batting enters a different zone in Twenty/20 matches, but if you are still thinking of what to expect in the first World Championship of cricket's new avatar in a few days' time, sample this.

Sri Lanka A all-rounder Dhanuka Pathirana smashed an incredible 277 off just 72 balls in a Twenty20 match and helped his side Austerlands to a remarkable win in the Lancashire's Saddleworth League. The hapless bowlers belong to Droylsden.

It was a breathtaking innings from the 25-year-old Lankan, who borrowed a bat and went on to hit 29 sixes and 18 fours in his violent knock.

A veteran of 46 first class matches, Pathirana powered his side to 366-3 in 20 overs, eclipsing Somerset's county record of 250.

Austerlands won on a better run rate as rain stopped play with Droylsden at 37-2.

An amused Pathirana later described it as a fairytale knock and said, 'Everything seemed to hit the middle.'

"I was seeing it like a football. It was like a dream, I think I did some serious damage to some of the vehicles in the car park," he was quoted as saying by 'Daily Mirror'.

Interestingly, the cricketer had not brought his bat, expecting the match to be washed out.

Though Dhanuka normally bats at one down, his team had sent him up to improve the run rate to brighten their semifinal hopes.