On Saturday, October 7 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, during Match 4 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Sri Lankan batter Kusal Mendis put on a show against South Africa. The 28-year-old displayed his dazzling strokeplay with a spectacular score of 76 (42). The Sri Lankan batsman displayed his imperious best as he smashed four fours and eight sixes during his innings, moving the ball across the field.
The audience was on the edge of their seats as Kusal Mendis played some magnificent flips and pulls. He started his assault by hitting Lungi Ngidi for three sixes in the fifth over of the inning. Fans watched the carnage with their mouths open as one of his shots on the final ball of the over traveled far back into the stands at deep square leg.
Kusal Mendis struck gold as he took just 25 balls to achieve his half-century by flicking Marco Jansen for a six to the onside. Notably, it was the batsman from Sri Lanka’s third-fastest fifty in an ODI World Cup. Additionally, the right-handed hitter tied Chris Gayle and Martin Guptill for second place with eight sixes in the opening ten overs of an ODI. With nine maximums in the first ten overs, Gayle is also at the top of the leaderboard.
Watch his shots here:
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Kusal Mendis scored 158 (87) points against Afghanistan in the pregame match.
But just as things seemed to be going Sri Lanka’s way, Kagiso Rabada dismissed Mendis in the 13th over by forcing him to edge straight to wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen, which allowed South Africa to retake the lead.
Mendis’ blitzkrieg consequently came to a halt as his team finished 12.4 overs on 109/3. Mendis had played another incredible innings of 158 off 87 balls against Afghanistan in the second warm-up game at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, slamming 19 fours and nine sixes. The daring batsman will be eager to maintain his form as Sri Lanka advances in the competition.
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