Months after his ODI debut, Mendis picked up six wickets against India by giving away just 13 runs in the 2008 Asia Cup final.
Ajantha Mendis. (Photo: Twitter/@ICC)
Sri Lanka spinner Ajantha Mendis has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Mendis, who took the world by a storm with his ‘carrom ball’, has called time on his international career at a ripe age of 34.
The bowler played 19 Tests, 87 ODIs and 39 T20Is, picking up 288 wickets. He last played an international match in 2015 in an ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch.
The ‘mystery spinner’ made his debut against West Indies in an ODI in April 2008, and impressed many with the figures of 3 for 39. However, his best was yet to come.
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Months after his ODI debut, Mendis picked up six wickets against India by giving away just 13 runs in the 2008 Asia Cup final and became the cynosure of all eyes. A star-studded Indian top-order was seen hapless in front of Mendis’s carrom balls. And eventually, Sri Lanka notched up a 100-run win to bag the trophy.
Mendis carried on his good form and went onto become the fastest to 50 ODI wickets, a record that prevails till date.
In the shortest format of the game too, Mendis didn’t fail to impress and picked up two six-wicket hauls – 6 for 16 against Australia in Pallekele in August 2011 and 6 for 8 in 4 overs against Zimbabwe in Hambantota in September 2012, which is still the best bowling figures in the format.
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