Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis got huge praise from India’s 360-degree batting superstar Suryakumar Yadav for the Sri Lankan’s blistering century against Pakistan in their World Cup 2023 encounter on Tuesday in Hyderabad.
In the previous match against South Africa in Delhi, Kusal Mendis had scored 76 runs in 42 balls, but his knock had gone in vain. If his century today ends up on the victorious side, it will be the first time Sri Lanka will have defeated Pakistan in the ODI World Cup.
Carrying on his form from a sizzling knock against South Africa, Mendis attacked from the onset of his innings to finish with 122 runs in 77 balls, scoring with the help of 14 fours and 6 sixes. This included a rampage over Shaheen Afridi with a hat-trick of fours in an over.
Suryakumar Yadav hails Kusal Mendis’ sensational century vs PAK
Kusal Mendis looked unstoppable today. However, he got out attempting one six too many: after smashing Hasan Ali for two sixes in a row, Mendis was then caught at deep square leg by Imam-ul-Haq, bringing an end to a fire-cracker innings from the Sri Lankan number 3.
Mendis’ knock sent Twitterati into a tizzy, and that included India’s batsman Suryakumar Yadav, too, who was watching his knock from Delhi, where India will play Afghanistan on Wednesday.
Suryakumar Yadav took to Twitter to hail Mendis’ knock. He tweeted: “Kusal mendis (fire emoji) what a knock.”
After Mendis’ rampage, it was the number batsman Sadeera Samarawickrama who took on the mantle to keep the scoreboard ticking and brought up a century of his own. Samarawickrama scored 108 runs in 89 balls with the help of 11 fours and 2 sixes.
Sri Lanka finished with a total of 344/9. Hasan Ali took 4 wickets for Pakistan.
Sri Lanka created the record of the biggest total against Pakistan in World Cup history.
Highest totals against Pakistan in World Cup
344/9 by Sri Lanka, Hyderabad, 2023*
336/5 by India, Manchester, 2019
334/9 by England, Nottingham, 2019
310/8 by Australia, Jo’burg, 2003
Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav might get a chance in place of Ishan Kishan against Afghanistan.
