He was India captain Rohit Sharma's opening partner in the home T20 series against Afghanistan earlier this year but his place looked under threat as he struggled for runs in the IPL
Mendis ton gives Sri Lanka strong base against Bangladesh in Galle
An elegant 166 not out from Kusal Mendis has put Sri Lanka in a strong position on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh.
Published : 7 March 2017, 01:56 PM
Updated : 7 March 2017, 01:56 PM
He forged a brisk 196-run fourth-wicket stand with Asela Gunaratne (85) as Sri Lanka reached 321 for 4 at stumps at Galle International Stadium on Tuesday.
Bangladesh would rue having squandered the dismissal of Mendis on the first ball he faced. Pacer Subashis Roy had him caught behind but replays ruled the decision out for an overstepping.
Bangladesh began the day in disciplined fashion, however, with the seamers extracting slight away movement from the track while the spinners kept things tight.
The efforts Subashis, spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Mustafizur Rahman reduced the hosts to 92 for 3. But the Tigers’ energetic rhythm hit a blockade in Mendis, who gradually grew in confidence and stepped his scoring up with his increasing stay in the middle.
Bangladesh grabbed the fourth wicket through pacer Taskin Ahmed late in the final session but Niroshan Dickwella (14 not out) began with a powerful swipe off his pads to begin with a boundary.
Mendis’s 242-ball knock so far has been laced with 18 boundaries and two big sixes.
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