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Kamindu Mendis has emerged as the star of Sri Lankan cricket through his emphatic batting skills and the ability to adapt to the needs of the game at such a young age. The 26-year-old has clinched the landmark of completing 1000 Test runs in just 13 innings, becoming the 3rd fastest batter to do so equalling Sir Don Bradman’s record.
Seeing his unmatched batting skills of the youngster, the International Cricket Council (ICC) crowned him as the ICC Emerging Player of the Year for his extraordinary performances particularly in Test cricket throughout the calendar year.
In the light of his recent impressive displays with the bat and the recognition he received from the ICC, here are some key facts of Kamindu- the future star of Sri Lankan cricket.
All you need to know about Kamindu Mendis
1. Passion for cricket since his early days
Kamindu was born in Galle and has represented Sri Lanka in the Junior World Cup, along with his brother Sandun both marking a significant achievement for their cricketing careers. The former, however, hails from the prestigious Richmond College and captained the Sri Lanka U-19 team during the 2018 World Cup. As the team leader, he carried the added responsibility of guiding his side through a challenging tournament. Unfortunately, his personal performance with the bat did not meet expectations, as he managed only 113 runs across four innings at an average of 37.66. Despite this, his leadership qualities were evident, and his contribution to the team’s dynamics went beyond the scoreboard.
(2) A Mix-bag experience in domestic cricket
Kamindu’s domestic cricket career has been full of ups and downs. He made his debut in domestic cricket for Galle Cricket Club on November 30, 2015, in a List-A match against Badureliya Sports Club during the AIA Premier League Tournament at Magonna. His List-A debut, however, was one to forget, as he was dismissed for a duck. Despite this early setback, Mendis quickly bounced back, making his T20 debut for Colombo in the 2018 Sri Lanka Cricket T20 League, where they faced Galle. Although he didn’t get a chance to bat in the match, he showcased his bowling ability by dismissing the opposition captain, Suranga Lakmal.
A few months later, on November 30, 2018, Mendis took another significant step in his career by making his first-class debut for Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club in the Premier League Tournament Tier A in Katunayake. His first-class debut was a solid one, as he claimed three wickets across the two innings and contributed 45 valuable runs with the bat.
(3) An impressive debut with senior side
In October 2018, the former Sri Lanka U-19 captain earned a call-up to the senior side for a one-off T20I match against England, marking a significant milestone in his career. His selection was largely due to a stellar half-century in a practice match ahead of the England tour, which highlighted his potential. In the T20I encounter, he made an immediate impact, scoring a brisk 24 runs at a strike rate of 171.42 during his team’s unsuccessful chase of 188 runs.
Despite his promising start, the youngster was largely sidelined from both the ODI and T20I squads struggling to secure a permanent spot in the playing XI. His international appearances were sporadic till then, with his last match coming against the West Indies at North Sound in 2021. Unfortunately, he was sidelined for the Bangladesh series in March 2019, which added to his ongoing challenge of breaking into the team on a regular basis. Domestic cricket was a great learning experience for Kamindu as he moved ahead in his career.
Also Read: ICC announces Men’s Emerging Player of the Year and Associate Cricketer of the Year 2024
(4) A dream-run in the domestic league
Unable to make it to the national side on a regular basis, the young Galle prodigy featured in the SLC Invitational T20 League as the captain of SLC Green. Though his team could not win a single match in the competition, Kamindu outshined other talents with the bat forging an epic 193 runs in 3 innings becoming the 2nd highest scorer in the competition, only behind Dasun Shanaka.
(5) LPL career
Kamindu has been a key figure in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), primarily representing the Kandy Falcons throughout most of his career. The only exception was a single season with B-Love Kandy, but aside from that, he has been a consistent presence in the Falcons’ squad across four seasons. Over the course of his LPL career, Mendis has established himself as an all-rounder, scoring 782 runs with 5 half-centuries and 8 wickets to his name.
(6) An impressive Test career
Kamindu has an impressive record in Test cricket for Sri Lanka so far. Since his Test debut against Australia at Galle in 2022, the young Sri Lankan prodigy has managed to put together a total of 1110 runs in 17 innings. The standout performance in his Test career was an emphatic 182-run knock against New Zealand at Galle in September 2024.
(7) A lookout talent in ODIs
Although his ODI career has not been as great as his Test run with the national side, Kamindu is still a promising talent in the Sri Lankan team in white-ball cricket. He made his ODI debut under the leadership of Lasith Malinga against South Africa in 2019 and has represented Sri Lanka in 17 ODI matches since then scoring 344 runs.
(8) A T20I star
Kamindu made his international debut for Sri Lanka in a T20I clash against England in Colombo which featured just one T20I match between the two sides. Mendis showed his composure with the bat, contributing a valuable cameo of 24 runs off just 14 balls. Since then, he has featured in 23 matches from 2018 to 2024, accumulating 381 runs and an average of 21.22. With his all-round abilities, Mendis has continued to be a reliable performer for Sri Lanka in the shortest format of the game, offering key contributions both in the middle order and with the ball.
(9) Kamindu’s heartwarming marriage
Kamindu recently tied the knot with his childhood love Nishni, in a beautiful ceremony. The couple, who have known each other for many years, celebrated their union in the presence of family and close friends. The wedding has captured the attention of fans and the cricket community. Nishni, who has supported him throughout his career, shared her excitement and joy on social media. The couple’s love story is one that has grown alongside Mendis’ cricketing journey.
