Kamindu Mendis nominated for ICC Men’s Player of the month award

Friday, 5 April 2024 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Kamindu Mendis has been nominated for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award following his memorable batting feats as Sri Lanka overcame Bangladesh 2-0 in the longest format.

The ICC Men’s Player of the Month shortlist includes a key architect in Ireland’s first-ever men’s Test victory, a prolific frontline bowler from New Zealand, and a record-breaking Sri Lankan Test run-scorer. Mark Adair has his maiden nomination for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award after spearheading Ireland’s Test win over Afghanistan as well as contributing in the shorter formats. New Zealand’s Matt Henry enjoyed a successful month with the ball also, taking regular wickets in his side’s World Test Championship series against Australia.

Mendis, the 25-year-old batter registered modest scores in Sri Lanka’s T20I series against Bangladesh at the start of the month, but followed with a memorable record-breaking performance in the first Test in Sylhet. Striding to the crease at 57 for five, Mendis partnered with Dhananjaya de Silva to rescue the Sri Lanka innings, striking 102 as they eventually posted a respectable score of 280. Facing similar troubles in the second innings at 126 for six, Mendis alongside De Silva once more re-asserted control, and the former’s mammoth innings of 164 in 237 balls helped his side to a comfortable victory, and saw him become the first player batting at number seven or lower to hit two centuries in a single Test.