BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, CMC – Opener Kamau Leverock smashed a century as Bermuda recorded their third emphatic victory in the five-team 2024 ICC T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Qualifier here on Tuesday, defeating Panama by 60 runs.
Leverock struck 103 in an opening stand of 179 with Tre Manders, who finished on 67 not out, as Bermuda, who won the toss at the Belgrano Athletic Club Ground, rattled up 196 for one from their 20 overs.
They then restricted Panama to 136 for six, highlighted by a half-century from number six batsman Anilkumar Ahir.
The 28-year-old Leverock, who bats left-handed and bowls right-arm medium pace, made up for his failure on Sunday when he was out for three against Argentina, lashing six sixes and ten fours in his 58-ball knock before he was out at the start of the 19th over.
Manders’ knock came from 55 balls and contained four sixes and three fours.
Leverock followed up his century by taking two for 15 from two overs as Panama was lifted from 58 from four in the 10th over by wicketkeeper Ahir’s 34-ball 51, which included four sixes and two fours before he was run out off the final ball.
In the other game played, the Cayman Islands opened their account with a 31-run win over the Bahamas, Sri Lankan-born opener Sacha de Alwis laying the foundation for the victory at the St Albans Club with a knock of 74.
De Alwis, a 31-year-old left-hander, smashed five sixes and six fours in his 56-ball innings before he was sixth out at 121 as Cayman saw their final nine wickets tumble for the addition of 53 runs.
Kervon Hinds, a 22-year-old left-arm spinner, wrecked the innings with figures five for 18 from his four overs.
Chasing a modest 126 for victory, captain and opener Marc Taylor kept Bahamian hopes alive with a top score of 35, but when he was fifth out in the 11th over with 53 runs on the board, the innings lost momentum.
Despite 22 from number nine, Jonathan Barry, the Bahamas were held to 94 for eight, with Jahmeal Buchanan and Alistair Ifill picking up two wickets apiece.
The top three teams will join Canada for the regional finals in Bermuda in September, with the winner of that tournament clinching a qualification spot at next year’s T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States.
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