5 records created by Kamindu Mendis in his 114-run knock for Sri Lanka in SL vs NZ 2024 1st Test
Kamindu Mendis played a brilliant knock of 114 runs yesterday on the opening day (September 18) of the first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle. Batting at number five, Mendis continued his splendid form and scored 114 runs off 173 deliveries.
He came out to bat when Sri Lanka were down to 88/3 in the 29th over. Mendis held one end as three wickets fell from the other end, but he remained in the middle till the 87th over, taking his team's score past 300.
The Sri Lankan batter smacked 11 fours in his inning, and here's a list of five records that he created during his 173-ball 114 in Galle.
#1 Kamindu Mendis now has the highest batting average by an Asian after more than 10 Test innings
Mendis has played only seven Tests in his career, but he already has four centuries to his name. The 25-year-old has aggregated 809 runs in 11 innings, with his batting average being 80.90.
This was Mendis' 11th Test innings, and he now owns the record for the best batting average by an Asian batter, who batted in more than 10 innings. India's Yashasvi Jaiswal previously owned the top position with an average of 68.53.
#2 Kamindu Mendis becomes 1st Sri Lankan cricketer to achieve unique feat
Mendis is playing his seventh Test, and he has scored a half-century in each of them so far. He has become the first Sri Lankan batter to cross the 50-run mark in each of his first seven Tests.
With a hundred in the first innings, Mendis equaled the world record set by Saud Shakeel from Pakistan. If he crosses the 50-run mark in the next Test against New Zealand, he will become the undisputed owner of this world record.
#3 Kamindu Mendis set another record in Sri Lankan cricket
Batting in his 11th inning, Mendis notched up his fourth Test ton earlier today. Prior to this, he scored two centuries against Bangladesh and a ton against England.
Mendis has now become the quickest Sri Lankan to complete four Test hundreds in terms of innings batted. Even Australia's legendary batter Don Bradman took 11 innings for his first four Test hundreds.
#4 Kamindu Mendis now has the best average in a WTC cycle (min. 10+ innings)
Mendis has overtaken New Zealand's Kane Williamson to have the best average by a batter in the World Test Championship cycle. ICC launched the WTC back in the year 2019.
Williamson held the pole position for a long time with an average of 75.2 in the previous cycle of WTC from 2021 to 2023. However, Mendis has overtaken him with an average of 80.90 in the ongoing cycle.
#5 Kamindu Mendis levels Dimuth Karunaratne's record
Dimuth Karunaratne owns the record for the most centuries by a Sri Lankan batter in a single WTC cycle. In the inaugural WTC cycle from 2019 to 2021, Karunaratne recorded four centuries for his nation.
Now, in the ongoing 2023-25 WTC cycle, Mendis has already smashed four tons. It will be interesting to see if he can break Karunaratne's record in the upcoming matches.