In-form Kusal Mendis made Pakistan pay for dropping his catch early in the innings. Mendis went on a six-hitting spree and became Pakistan’s first-ever batter to score a century in the men’s ODI World Cup 2023. Reaching his century from just 65 balls, Mendis became the fastest centurion for Sri Lanka in the World Cup as well.
The previous record for the fastest century for a Sri Lankan batter belonged to former skipper Kumar Sangakkara who reached the three figures from just 70 balls against England in the 2015 edition of the World Cup. Mendis’ 65-ball 100 is the sixth-fastest in World Cup history.
The previous highest individual score for a Pakistan batter against Sri Lanka in the World Cup was 85 scored by Roshan Mahanama in the 1987 World Cup. Mendis broke the 36-year-old record with his century.
When Mendis was dropped by Imam-ul-Haq in the seventh over of the innings off Shaheen Afridi’s bowling, he was batting on 18. He reached his half-century from just 40 balls. Despite the wicket of Pathum Nissanka, he accelerated and did not let Pakistan make a comeback in the middle overs. He reached his century with a six off Hasan Ali in the 27th over. In Ali's next over, he smashed two back-to-back sixes but got caught at the boundary by Imam who rectified his mistake but too late for comfort.
Mendis scored 122 runs from 77 balls featuring 14 fours and six sixes. This is the highest score by a Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter against Pakistan in ODIs. The previous record belonged to Sangakkara who scored 112 in Karachi in 2008.
It is also the second-highest score by a Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter in the World Cup. Mendis missed Sangakkara's record by a small margin as the latter scored 124 against Scotland in the 2015 edition of the tournament.
Mendis has been in tremendous form of late. Against South Africa, he did not let the scoreboard pressure get to him and scored 76 runs from just 42 balls in the unsuccessful run chase of 429. He had hit eight sixes and four fours at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on October 7.
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