Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis created history on day one of the second Test against New Zealand on Thursday (Sep 26) in Galle, hitting a fifty – his ninth score of 50 or more since debut. Mendis is now the first player in history to score 50-plus scores in eight consecutive Tests since his debut.
Mendis made his debut in 2022, scoring 61 in his only innings against Australia before being dropped from the side. He made a comeback in 2024 and has been breathing fire ever since. Mendis overall has 873 runs in 13 innings of eight Tests and has scored 812 in 12 innings (seven Tests) since making his comeback earlier in 2024.
Mendis has scored four fifties and four hundreds in seven Tests this year at an average of 81 and a highest of 164. His scores in 13 Test innings read: 61, 102, 164, 92 not out, 9, 12, 113, 74, 4, 64, 114, 13 and 51 not out (ongoing Test).
As for the match, Sri Lanka scored 306/3 on day 1 of the Test with Mendis still on crease Angelo Mathews who was unbeaten on 78.
Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. New Zealand started well, sending back opener Pathum Nissanka back cheaply for one run in the first over itself. Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal then stitched together a 122-run partnership for the second wicket.
A run out against run of play broke the partnership but Chandimal found another partner in Mathews. The duo added 97 runs for the third wicket before Chandimal was dismissed for 116 runs.
Mathew and Mendis then took the hosts to the end of play without losing any further wicket, adding 85 runs for the fourth wicket.
Sri Lanka already lead the two-Test series 1-0 after winning the first Test by 63 runs.
