Young Sri Lankan cricketer Kamindu Mendis has made a remarkable debut in Test cricket, etching his name in the history books during the ongoing first Test against Bangladesh. Kamindu followed his first innings century with yet another ton in the second to achieve a sensational feat, which no cricketer managed to bag in the history of Test cricket. Notably, he wasn't even considered by any franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction.
Bangladesh elected to bowl first after winning the toss in Sylhet on March 22. Sri Lanka's decision to bat first seemed backfiring them when they found themselves at a precarious precarious position of 57/5 before a crucial partnership between Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis rescued the innings.
Mendis mania
The duo put on a 202-run stand, propelling Sri Lanka to a total of 280 runs in 68 overs. Mendis, in particular, shone brightly, scoring his maiden Test century. His knock of 102 runs came off just 127 deliveries and included 11 boundaries and 3 sixes. It's worth noting that Mendis received a bit of luck early on, surviving a dropped catch by Mahmudul Hasan Joy.
Mendis' impressive form continued into the second innings. He arrived at the crease with Sri Lanka in another precarious position, at 126/6. Partnering with the skipper, he stitched together a crucial 173-run stand for the seventh wicket. Although Silva fell after scoring 108 runs, Mendis' contribution has put Sri Lanka in a strong position to challenge Bangladesh.
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Mendis becomes 1st cricketer to smash twin century in a Test batting at no.7
Mendis' heroics continued in the second innings. He wasn't done just with his maiden Test century. On the very first ball of the 94th over, Mendis nudged a single off Shanto, etching his name even deeper into cricketing history. Mendis' teammates erupted in applause, celebrating his remarkable feat. But the applause wasn't just for his second hundred, it was for becoming the first ever cricketer to achieve the incredible feat of scoring twin centuries while batting at number 7 or lower in a Test match.
Later, Taijul Islam got the prized wicket of Mendis, who returned to pavilion after scoring 164 off 237 riding on 16 fours and six maximums to help Sri Lanka post a mammoth total of 510 runs.
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