Kusal Mendis

Balapuwaduge Kusal Gimhan Mendis, known as Kusal Mendis ; born 2 February 1995) is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer who plays for all forms of the game.[1] He only played sixteen first-class matches before playing for the national side. He usually bats at number three in all formats. In November 2017, he was named the One Day International (ODI) batsman of the year for the 2016–17 season at Sri Lanka Cricket's annual awards.[2]

Kusal Mendis
Personal information
Full nameBalapuwaduge Kusal Gimhan Mendis
Born (1995-02-02) 2 February 1995
Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm leg spin
RoleBatsman, wicket-keeper
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 132)22 October 2015 v West Indies
Last Test14 January 2021 v England
ODI debut (cap 170)16 June 2016 v Ireland
Last ODI1 March 2020 v West Indies
T20I debut (cap 66)5 July 2016 v England
Last T20I6 March 2020 v West Indies
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2015–2017Bloomfield C&AC
2017–presentColombo Cricket Club
2020Kandy Tuskers
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC
Matches 47 76 26 75
Runs scored 3,022 2,167 484 4,946
Batting average 34.73 30.52 18.61 37.75
100s/50s 7/11 2/17 0/5 12/18
Top score 196 119 79 200*
Balls bowled 126 20 – 248
Wickets 1 0 – 2
Bowling average 110.00 – – 103.00
5 wickets in innings 0 – – 0
10 wickets in match 0 – – 0
Best bowling 1/10 – – 1/10
Catches/stumpings 71/0 39/0 6/0 103/8
Source: Cricinfo, 18 January 2021

Early and domestic career

Mendis was adjudged the 2013 schoolboy cricketer of the year and had captained the national youth and the Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa teams in his formative years.[1][3][4]

In March 2018, he was named in Dambulla's squad for the 2017–18 Super Four Provincial Tournament.[5][6] The following month, he was also named in Dambulla's squad for the 2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.[7]

In August 2018, he was named in Galle's squad the 2018 SLC T20 League.[8] He was the leading run-scorer for Galle in the tournament, with 182 runs in six matches.[9] In March 2019, he was named in Galle's squad for the 2019 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.[10]

During the 2019–20 Premier League Tournament, Mendis scored 139 against Ragama Cricket Club, and the match was won by an innings and 125 runs.[11] Mendis scored his maiden first-class double century against Nondescripts Cricket Club. His unbeaten double century helped to draw the match.[12][13] In the final match against Chilaw Marians Cricket Club, Mendis scored another century, with 157 runs.[14]

In October 2020, he was drafted by the Kandy Tuskers for the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League.[15]

International career

Debut years

He captained Sri Lanka's squad for the 2014 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He was the 132nd Test player for Sri Lanka, gaining his cap during the second Test of Sobers-Tissera Trophy. He made his Test debut in 2nd Test of West Indies tour of Sri Lanka 2015, scoring 13 runs in the first innings and 39 runs in second innings.[16]

He was named in the Sri Lanka squad for the tour of England, and in the first Test he scored a duck in the first innings, but in the second innings he scored his maiden test half-century with 53 runs.

He made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Ireland on 16 June 2016, scoring his maiden ODI fifty.[17] Mendis made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut for Sri Lanka against England on 5 July 2016 in the same tour.[18]

Making a mark in international arena

On 28 July 2016, Mendis scored his maiden Test century during the first Test against Australia at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium. He became the youngest Sri Lankan to score a century against Australia and also the highest score against Australia on home soil.[19] Sri Lanka won the match by 106 runs, which was only their second Test win against Australia. Mendis won the Man of the Match award for his performance.

In the fifth match of the Tri-series in Zimbabwe against the West Indies, Mendis scored 94 runs. With his fifty and 94 runs by Niroshan Dickwella, Sri Lanka posted 330 runs off 50 overs, which was recorded as the highest total by Sri Lanka against the West Indies. Sri Lanka won the match by single run and Mendis was adjudged man of the match for his batting.[20] With this win Sri Lanka reached the final with Zimbabwe. In the final, Mendis scored another fifty, guiding the team to win the series by 6 wickets. His all-round performances in the series gave him his first player of the series award.[21]

On the first Test against Bangladesh at Galle, Mendis scored his second Test century, just fall short 6 runs for his double hundred. His score of 194, before he was caught by Tamim Iqbal.[22][23]

On 28 March 2017, in the second ODI against Bangladesh at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Mendis scored his maiden ODI century, with 102 runs. However, the match ended as a no result, due to heavy rain.[24]

On 8 June 2017 against India in 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, Mendis scored a match-winning 89 runs to seal the match for Sri Lanka.[25] In the match, Sri Lanka chased 321 runs scored by India, by recording the highest successful run chase in Champion's Trophy history. He along with Danushka Gunathilaka stood 159-run stand for the second wicket and helped to reach the mark.[26] This was Sri Lanka's joint-highest chase, and their first successful 300-plus chase since the 2015 World Cup as well.[27]

On 30 June 2017 against Zimbabwe, Mendis passed 1,000 ODI runs, becoming the joint second-fastest (with Tharanga) for Sri Lanka to achieve this.[28]

During the first Test against Bangladesh in 2018, Mendis scored his fourth Test hundred. His hundred came on the third day of the match, which was on his 23rd birthday. Mendis along with Dhananjaya de Silva scored 308-run partnership to the second wicket until De Silva dismissed for 173 runs. However, Mendis was dismissed for 196 runs, four runs short of his maiden double century just before the tea break.[29][30][31] Mendis' career-best score of 196, however, made him the second Sri Lankan after Kumar Sangakkara to get out in the 190s at least twice.[32]

After good performances in Tests against Bangladesh, Mendis was named to the T20I squad for Sri Lanka by replacing injured Kusal Perera.[33] In the first match, he scored a match winning knock of 53 from 27 balls. Bangladesh scored 193 in their 20 overs, which was then their highest T20I total. Mendis opened the innings with Danushka Gunathilaka and they added 53 for the first wicket in just 4.5 overs. Then Mendis scored his first T20I fifty and Sri Lanka won the match by 6 wickets. The chase of 193 is recorded as the highest T20I chase by Sri Lanka as well. Mendis adjudged man of the match, which is his first in T20Is.[34] In the second T20I, Mendis scored another match winning half century and Sri Lanka posted 210 in their 20 overs. This is Sri Lanka's highest T20I score against Bangladesh. Finally Sri Lanka won the match and series 2-0 and Mendis was awarded with both man of the match and player of the series.[35][36]

In May 2018, he was one of 33 cricketers to be awarded a national contract by Sri Lanka Cricket ahead of the 2018–19 season.[37][38]

Ups and downs

Mendis was totally out of form during the 2018 Asia Cup, where he was dismissed for naught in both games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan. His place in the team was in doubt with poor performances, where he was omitted from the England tour in Sri Lanka.[39] But during the ODI series, Mendis was called into the squad for the remainder of the series against England, as a replacement for Kusal Perera, who suffered a quad strain in the second ODI.[40] In his comeback match, he was again dismissed for naught. In the fourth ODI, he batted in the middle order and scored only 5 runs and England won the series 3–0. In the last match, Mendis batted in the number-4 position. After 24 innings without a fifty, he scored a 30-ball half century in the match with 6 huge sixes. Sri Lanka won the match by 219 runs in D/L method.[41]

During the first Test against New Zealand in late 2018, Mendis scored his sixth Test century. Mendis along with Angelo Mathews batted all over fourth day, which was the fifth time that Sri Lankan pair had done that in Test history. On the fifth day, they put on an unbeaten double century partnership which overall lasts for 115 wicketless overs for New Zealanders. With rain interrupted, the match was ended in a draw.[42] The partnership of 246, was also Sri Lanka's highest for any wicket against New Zealand[43] and also Sri Lanka's highest in the second innings of a Test. It was the first time a Sri Lankan pair has added 200-plus runs in the second innings of a Test outside Asia.[44]

In the second Test, Mendis reached 1,000 Test runs in the calendar year 2018. He became only the second player after Virat Kohli to achieve the feat.[45] He finished 2018 as the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, with 1,023 runs at an average 46.50, including three centuries and four fifties.[46]

During the two-match test series against South Africa, Mendis continued his poor form with bat with scores 0, 12 and 16. However, his fielding efforts at slip improved in each innings. However, in the second innings of the second test at Port Elizabeth, Mendis scored his 9th test fifty. He along with newcomer Oshada Fernando put on an unbeaten partnership of 163 runs off 213 balls to win the match by 8 wicket.[47] Eventually, Sri Lanka won the series 2-0 and Mendis was adjudged man of the match.[48] It was the first Test series won by Sri Lanka in South Africa.[49]

In April 2019, he was named in Sri Lanka's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.[50][51]

On 1 September 2019 during first T20I against New Zealand, he scored quick 79 runs off 53 balls to set a target of 174.[52] However, Sri Lanka lost the match. In the last over of second T20I, he had a collision with Shehan Jayasuriya at the boundary line. Jayasuriya was running from long on, and Mendis from midwicket, in order to intercept an aerial Mitchell Santner, he tripped up by the onrushing Mendis, and sent crashing into the boundary. Both players picked up knee injuries and rested from the third T20I.[53]

During the first Test against Zimbabwe on 19 January 2020, Mendis scored his eleventh fifty. He made 80 runs off 163 deliveries in the match and had a strong partnership with eventual double centurion Angelo Mathews.[54] Sri Lanka went on to win the match by 10 wickets.[55] In the second Test, Mendis scored his seventh century with an unbeaten 116 in the second innings, with Sri Lanka winning the series 1–0.[56]

On 25 February 2020, against the West Indies, Mendis scored his second ODI century. Along with Avishka Fernando, they made a 239-run partnership for the third wicket, with Sri Lanka eventually making 345/8. The West Indies collapsed in the chase and Sri Lanka won the match by 161 runs.[57] This was the biggest win in terms of runs against the West Indies by Sri Lanka in ODIs, with Sri Lanka taking an unassailable lead in the series.[58]

Personal life

In July 2020, Mendis was arrested after being involved in a fatal road accident in Panadura.[59] Mendis was driving a vehicle that hit an elderly cyclist, who later died in hospital.[60] A day after the incident, Mendis was released on bail.[61]

International awards
  • Dialog SLC Future Cricketer of the Year 2015–16.[62]
  • Dialog SLC ODI Batsman of the year 2016–17.[63]

References
  1. "Kusal Mendis". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  2. "Gunaratne wins big at SLC's annual awards". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  3. "Australia v Sri Lanka: Kusal Mendis ton leads fightback, puts heat on Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  4. "Cambrian Kusal Mendis Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year". The Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 26 October 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  5. "Cricket: Mixed opinions on Provincial tournament". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 26 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  6. "All you need to know about the SL Super Provincial Tournament". Daily Sports. 26 March 2018. Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  7. "SLC Super Provincial 50 over tournament squads and fixtures". The Papare. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  8. "SLC T20 League 2018 squads finalized". The Papare. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  9. "SLC T20 League, 2018 - Galle, Batting and bowling averages". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  10. "Squads, Fixtures announced for SLC Provincial 50 Overs Tournament". The Papare. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  11. "Full Scorecard of Colombo Cricket Club vs Ragama Cricket Club Super Eight 2020 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  12. "Kusal Mendis hammers 200". Sunday Observer. 22 August 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  13. "Match drawn - Nondescripts Cricket Club vs Colombo Cricket Club, Premier League Tournament Tier A 2020, Super Eight Match Summary, Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  14. "Match drawn - Chilaw Marians Cricket Club vs Colombo Cricket Club, Premier League Tournament Tier A 2020, Super Eight Match Summary, Report". ESPN.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  15. "Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Shahid Afridi among big names taken at LPL draft". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  16. "2nd Test Sri Lanka v West Indies". 22 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  17. "Sri Lanka tour of England and Ireland, 1st ODI: Ireland v Sri Lanka at Dublin (Malahide), Jun 16, 2016". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN Sports Media. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  18. "Sri Lanka tour of England and Ireland, Only T20I: England v Sri Lanka at Southampton, Jul 5, 2016". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  19. "Second-youngest to score 150-plus against Australia". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  20. "Sri Lanka survive Lewis' 148 for thrilling win". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  21. "Mendis, Tharanga steer Sri Lanka to title". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  22. "Mendis 166* headlines Sri Lanka dominance". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  23. "Bangladesh begin well in reply to Sri Lanka's 494". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  24. "Rain thwarts SL's chances after Mendis ton". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  25. "India's winning rhythm disrupted by young papare batting beat". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  26. "Gunathilaka, Mendis power Sri Lanka in record chase". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  27. "Gunathilaka announces his arrival". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  28. "Mendis, Tharanga fifties propel SL to 316". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  29. "Dhananjaya, Mendis lead strong Sri Lanka reply". ESPN Cricinfo. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  30. "Mendis and Dhananjaya battle adversity to keep Sri Lanka afloat". ESPN Cricinfo. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  31. "Sri Lanka pile on the runs and eye big lead". ESPN Cricinfo. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  32. "Want to give Kusal Mendis every opportunity - Samaraweera". ESPN Cricinfo. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  33. "Kusal Mendis to replace injured Kusal Perera in T20s". ESPN Cricinfo. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  34. "Kusal Mendis, Thisara Perera overpower Bangladesh". ESPN Cricinfo. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  35. "Mendis stars in thumping win as SL sweep tour". ESPN Cricinfo. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  36. "Mendis has grabbed all opportunities as opener - Chandimal". ESPN Cricinfo. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  37. "Sri Lanka assign 33 national contracts with pay hike". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  38. "Sri Lankan players to receive pay hike". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  39. "Sri Lanka confirm Angelo Mathews axe for England ODIs". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  40. "Kusal Mendis called up as replacement for Kusal Perera". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  41. "Kusal Mendis' intensity the key as Sri Lanka's hitman turns the corner". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  42. "Rain completes Mathews and Mendis' epic rescue". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  43. "When I saw Angie get hit, I thought there's no way I'm getting out - Mendis". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  44. "Records galore for Mathews and Mendis". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  45. "Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis becomes second batsman after Virat Kohli to cross 1,000 Test runs in 2018". Scroll. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  46. "RECORDS / 2018 / TEST MATCHES / MOST RUNS". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  47. "Kusal Mendis, Oshada Fernando lead Sri Lanka to historic series win". ESPN Cricinfo.
  48. "2nd Test, Sri Lanka tour of South Africa at Port Elizabeth, Feb 21-23 2019". ESPN Cricinfo.
  49. "Rude end to South Africa's seven series home streak". ESPN Cricinfo.
  50. "Thirimanne, Siriwardana, Vandersay picked in World Cup squad". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  51. "Jeevan Mendis, Siriwardana, Vandersay make comebacks in Sri Lanka World Cup squad". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  52. "Taylor, de Grandhomme fireworks trump vintage Malinga". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  53. "Kusal Mendis, Shehan Jayasuriya uncertain for third T20I after on-field collision". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  54. "Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis lead Sri Lanka's strong reply". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  55. "Lahiru Kumara breaks through Zimbabwe's resistance to seal victory". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  56. "Kusal Mendis ton helps Sri Lanka secure draw and seal series 1-0". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  57. "Mendis, Fernando and bowlers give Sri Lanka series win". The Papare. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  58. "Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis hit tons as Sri Lanka dominate West Indies". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  59. "Kusal Mendis arrested after being involved in fatal road accident". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  60. "Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Mendis arrested for causing fatal motor accident: Report". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  61. "Kusal Mendis released on bail day after arrest for role in fatal road accident". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  62. "Dialog Cricket Awards 2016: List of award winners". Cricket Machan. 1 December 2016.
  63. "Herath and Gunaratne triumph Dialog Cricket Awards 2017". cricinfo. 1 November 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.