Dubai: Kamindu Mendis, Sri Lanka’s rising batting star, has been crowned the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year, following an impressive year of consistent performances.
Mendis scored a total of 1451 runs across all formats in 2024, averaging just over 50. He was also the joint-third quickest to score 1000 runs in Men’s Tests, matching Sir Don Bradman’s 13-innings milestone.
In the Test arena, Mendis was a standout. He accumulated 1049 runs in just nine Tests at an average of 74.92, making him one of only six players to score over 1000 runs in the calendar year. His tally included five centuries and three fifties, and his ability to convert starts into big scores was vital for Sri Lanka’s success.
Mendis’ most memorable performance came in Sri Lanka’s second Test against New Zealand in Galle, where he scored a career-best 182 in the first innings. This brilliant knock, which included 16 boundaries and four sixes, helped Sri Lanka post a formidable total of 602/5.
His efforts played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s 2-0 series sweep and earned him the Player of the Match award.
His contributions were not limited to home soil. Mendis also excelled on tours, finishing as Sri Lanka’s top scorer during a series in England, where his efforts contributed to their first Test victory in the country in a decade.
The flamboyant left-handed batter had made just a solitary Test appearance for Sri Lanka before 2024, but ended the year having not only cemented his place as an all-format resource for Sri Lanka but also becoming their go-to-player in moments of crises and when the stakes were high. This was on the show during Sri Lanka’s push for a maiden ICC World Test Championship Final spot as the 26-year-old delivered a streak of big scores in the whites.
(IANS)
