Kamindu Mendis Shines as Sri Lanka Prepares for Second Test Against England
Sri Lanka is gearing up to face England in the second Test at Lords starting Thursday. The team has high hopes for their left-hand batter Kamindu Mendis, who boasts an impressive average of 92.16 in his last four Test matches.
Despite his promising debut in 2022, Mendis had to wait two years to return to Test cricket. His dedication paid off, and he now holds the second-highest Test average for any player with more than 500 runs, just behind Sir Don Bradman.
Mendis made a significant impact when he stepped in for the Covid-positive Dhananjaya de Silva against Australia in Galle, scoring 61 runs and helping Sri Lanka win by an innings and 39 runs. In the ongoing series against England, Mendis is the second-highest run-scorer with 125 runs in two innings, averaging 62.50.
Reflecting on his journey, Mendis said, “I knew the batting was packed, but I tried to do my best with the chance I had. Even though I didn’t get to play much, traveling with the team and learning from experienced players helped me perform well in my initial innings.”
In the first Test, England emerged victorious. Sri Lanka, after winning the toss and opting to bat, struggled initially but managed to post 236 runs thanks to contributions from skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Milan Rathnayake. England responded with 358 runs, led by Jamie Smith’s century.
Sri Lanka’s second innings saw veterans Angelo Matthews and Dinesh Chandimal forming a crucial partnership, with Mendis scoring his second Test century. Despite setting a target of 204 runs, England chased it down with solid performances from Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Jamie Smith, winning by five wickets and taking a 1-0 lead in the series.
Doubts Revealed
Kamindu Mendis -: Kamindu Mendis is a cricketer from Sri Lanka who plays as a left-hand batter. He has been performing very well in recent matches.
Test -: A Test match is a type of cricket game that lasts up to five days. It is considered the longest and most traditional form of cricket.
Lords -: Lords is a famous cricket ground in London, England. It is often called the ‘Home of Cricket’ because it is very historic and important in the cricket world.
average of 92.16 -: In cricket, a batting average is a number that shows how many runs a player scores on average per match. An average of 92.16 means Kamindu Mendis scores about 92 runs every time he plays a Test match.
Joe Root -: Joe Root is a famous cricketer from England. He is known for being one of the best batters in the world.
Harry Brook -: Harry Brook is a young cricketer from England who is making a name for himself with good performances.
Jamie Smith -: Jamie Smith is another cricketer from England who contributed to their win in the first Test match.
Angelo Matthews -: Angelo Matthews is an experienced cricketer from Sri Lanka. He has been playing for the national team for many years.
Dinesh Chandimal -: Dinesh Chandimal is also a veteran cricketer from Sri Lanka. He has been an important player for the team for a long time.