Sri Lanka’s star batter Kamindu Mendis has been named as the ICC’s Men’s Emerging Player Of The Year after his sensational run of form with the bat across all three formats. Mendis, who had made just one appearance in Tests for Sri Lanka before 2024, ended the year as Sri Lanka’s most consistent performer in the format.
The 26-year-old scored 1049 runs in 9 Tests during the year at an average of 74.92 and hit 5 hundreds and 3 fifties during that time. He was also one of the six batters to have scored more than 1000 Test runs in 2024 and had the best average amongst them. Mendis’ incredible run of form was one of the main reasons behind Sri Lanka’s late push for a spot in the World Test Championship final.
During the purple patch in the longest format of the game, Mendis became the third-quickest to 1000 runs in Tests as he equalled the 13-innings mark of Sir Donald Bradman. Mendis also scored a combined 1451 across all three formats of the game, with an average above 50.
Mendis opened about being adjudged as the Emerging Player Of The Year and said it means a lot to him. The southpaw thanked his teammates and coaches for their support. Mendis said that his hundred against England in Manchester was his favourite hundred in 2024.
“Really happy to be the emerging player of the year. It really means a lot to me. I would like to thank my teammates and my coaches. The innings that I’m most proud of was my inning against England because it is tough to score a hundred in England easily.”
“I put a lot of hardwork in the nets and training in the last couple of years,” said Mendis.
Mendis will next be in action against Australia in the 2-Test series at home.
