Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis scripted historical past when he recorded the quickest century by a Sri Lanka batter in males’s ODI World Cup on Tuesday in opposition to Pakistan at Rajiv Gandhi Worldwide Stadium in Hyderabad. He had a stellar begin within the 2023 ODI World Cup as he performed a blitzkrieg of an innings in opposition to the South African aspect. However to his dismay, it was not sufficient for the Sri Lankan aspect as they fell brief by 102 runs whereas chasing the mammoth whole of 429, because of the onslaught attributable to Proteas top-order.
Nonetheless, of their second match of the match in opposition to Pakistan, batting first, Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka put collectively an impressive partnership, accumulating 102 runs for Sri Lanka’s second wicket till Shadab Khan lastly made a breakthrough. Nissanka, who contributed 51 runs, was the one to depart, offering Pakistan with a much-needed wicket.
Mendis continued to fireplace and achieved his third ODI century off simply 65 balls. He ultimately departed for 122 runs off 77 balls, with Hasan Ali taking back-to-back wickets, giving Pakistan some aid.
Kusal Mendis achieved the quickest century by a Sri Lankan batter in a males’s ODI World Cup match in opposition to Pakistan at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi Worldwide Stadium on Tuesday. Mendis reached his century in simply 65 balls, aided by 13 fours and 4 sixes. This exceptional feat ranks because the sixth-fastest century in males’s ODI World Cup historical past, with the quickest being South Africa’s Aiden Markram’s 49-ball hundred in opposition to Sri Lanka in 2023 in Delhi.
Listed here are the quickest centuries by Sri Lankan batters in World Cup matches:
Kusal Mendis off 65 balls – Sri Lanka vs Pakistan – Hyderabad, 2023 (Last rating: 122)
Kumar Sangakkara off 70 balls – Sri Lanka vs England – Wellington, 2015 (Last Rating: 117*)
Kumar Sangakkara off 73 balls – Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh – Melbourne, 2015 (Last Rating: 105*)
Within the match, Sri Lanka’s captain, Dasun Shanaka, selected to bat after profitable the toss. Pakistan had a wonderful begin when Hasan Ali dismissed opener Kusal Perera for a duck within the second over. Nonetheless, the partnership between Nissanka and Mendis turned the tide with a flurry of boundaries. Shaheen Afridi struggled together with his rhythm, and Pakistan confronted extra challenges when Imam-ul-Haq dropped a seemingly simple catch at backward level.
Sri Lanka made one change of their lineup, with Maheesh Theekshana changing Kasun Rajitha. As for Pakistan, they determined to drop the out-of-form Fakhar Zaman, bringing Abdullah Shafique to open alongside Imam.