The bowler who bowls with both hands made a blast in batting and broke a 40-year-old record by scoring a century
On one hand, Bangladesh has shown a strong performance in the test match being played in Pakistan, while the Sri Lankan team is also giving a fighting performance in England. In the first test match being played in Manchester, Sri Lanka has maintained itself in the match based on the courageous batting of the middle order in both the innings. Currently, let's talk about the test match being played between England and Sri Lanka, where despite falling behind in the first innings and losing wickets early in the second innings, Sri Lanka has made a strong comeback and a player who became famous for his bowling but took charge in batting and scored a brilliant century and also broke a 40-year-old record. This player is Kamindu Mendis.
The Sri Lankan team made a strong comeback in the first match of the Test series being played at Old Trafford. On the fourth day of the match, Sri Lanka resumed their second innings at 204 runs for 6 wickets. Only Kamindu Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal were at the crease. Mendis had completed his half-century on the third day itself, so all eyes were on his century. In the first session of the fourth day, both the batsmen nailed the pitch and added 87 runs without giving their wickets to England, taking the team to a score of 291.
During this time, left-handed batsman Mendis also completed his best century. 25-year-old Mendis, who came to bat at number seven, completed his century in 167 balls shortly before the end of the first session. Mendis, who was playing only his fourth Test match, hit 12 fours and 1 six to reach the century. With this, this batsman also broke a 40-year-old record. Mendis now holds the record of playing the biggest innings in England by coming in at the seventh or lower position in a Test match for Sri Lanka. He broke the record made 40 years ago in 1984. Then Dilip Mendis played an innings of 94 runs at Lord's.
25-year-old Mendis made his T20 debut for Sri Lanka in 2018 and ODI debut in 2019. He surprised everyone by bowling with both hands. Since then, his biggest identity was that he can bowl spin with his right hand and left hand in the same over. However, now he has started making a mark in Test cricket with his strong batting. He made his Test debut in 2022 but was out even after scoring 61 runs in an innings. Then he returned in 2024 and scored centuries in both innings of a Test against Bangladesh in March 2024, while he also scored an unbeaten 92 in the first innings of the next Test. In this way, now within 5 months, he has scored 3 centuries and a half-century.