Kusal Mendis is a Sri Lankan cricketer who captained many matches in the 2023 ODI World Cup. He was widely regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s best batsmen in the early 2020s.
Wiki/Biography
Balapuwaduge Kusal Gimhan Mendis (popularly known as Kusal Mendis) was born on Thursday, February 2, 1995 in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka (age 28; as of 2023). His zodiac sign is Aquarius. His first cricket coach was Jayalath Apoonsu, who passed away in November 2020.
Childhood photos of Kusal Mendis with his first cricket coach Jayalath Apoonsu
He attended Prince of Wales College in Moratuwa, Colombo, where he played for the school team and later became a professional cricketer.
Kusal Mendis’ student days
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′6″
Weight (approximately): 65kg
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
Body Measurements (Approximately): Chest 42″, Waist 32″, Biceps 14″
family
He comes from a middle-class family.
Parents and siblings
His father’s name is Dinesh Mendis, an autorickshaw driver, and his mother’s name is Maheshika Shivanthi. He has a younger brother Omesh Mendis who is a cricketer in the family and a younger sister Dilki Mendis who is married to Nipong Oshada Nipun Oshada De Silva.
Kusar Mendis (second from right) and his family
Kusal Mendis (Kusal Mendis) with sister Dilki Mendis and brother Omesh Mendis (from right to left)
Kusal Mendis with father Dinesh Mendis and mother Maheshika Shifanti
Kusar Mendis’ sisters Dilki Mendis, Kusar Mendis, brother Omesh Mendis and brother-in-law Nipon Oshada de Silva (from right to Left)
wife and children
He married Nishelle Fernandz on February 12, 2021 in Colombo. Nisher was born on May 18, 1997, about 2 years younger than Kusal Mendis.
Kusal Mendis and wife Nichelle Fernandez on their wedding day
The couple has a daughter named Heyli (also spelled Hailey) who was born on June 20, 2022 at Ninewells Hospital (Pvt) Ltd., Colombo.
Kusal Mendis with wife Nichelle Fernandez and daughter Hayley
Relationships/Affairs
Kusal Mendis first met Nishelle Fernandz at church as a teenager. They later struck up a friendship and she later became his girlfriend.
Kusal Mendis and Nichel Fernandez (left)
religion
He followed Christianity.
sign
Signature of Kusar Mendis
Profession
domestic
Kusal Mendis played for his school team Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa from 2010 to 2012 and for Sri Lanka Cricket Development 16s in 2011-12 Play for the following team.
Kusal Mendis wins trophies and awards at school level competition
In the 2013-14 season, Mendis played for The Rest, Moors Sports Club and Moors Sports Club Under-23. In the 2014-15 season, he played for Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club in the Sri Lanka Club Championship and Southgate in the Middlesex League. In the 2015-16 season, he represented Sri Lanka Emerging Players, Sri Lanka Cricket Development Team, Kurunegala Warriors, Commercial Credit Team and Sri Lanka Chairman’s Team.
Kusal Mendis in domestic competition
He played for Colombo Cricket Club from 2015 to 2021, Dambulla District from 2017-18, Galle District from 2018-19, Mohammedan Sports Club from 2020-21, and Mohammedan Sports Club from 2021-2021. Played for the Colombo District in the 2022 season, and played for the Sinhala Sports Club 2022 Club and the Sri Lanka Red Army in the 2021-22 season.
Kusal Mendis as a teenager
International
Sri Lanka Under 19 and Under 23
He started playing for Sri Lanka U-19 and U-23 teams in 2013 and captained them in the 2014 U-19 World Cup.
Kusal Mendis while playing for Sri Lanka U-19 team
test
Kusal Mendis made his debut against West Indies on 22 October 2015 at P Sara Oval, Colombo and scored 13 runs in the first innings and 39 runs in the second innings. In May 2016, in a Test against England, he scored his first Test fifty with a score of 53 in the second innings. In July 2016, he completed his maiden Test century with a score of 176 in the second innings against Australia.
Kusal Mendis to play Test match
In 2018, he scored 1023 runs at an average of 46.5, including 3 hundreds and 4 fifties; he also scored the most catches (21) in a Test match in 2018. In April 2023, he scored his first Test double hundred against Ireland with a score of 245 runs.
Foreign Direct Investment
He made his ODI debut on 16 June 2016 against Ireland at The Village in Dublin and completed his maiden ODI fifty with a score of 51 runs. On March 28, 2017, he scored his first ODI century with 102 runs against Bangladesh.
Kusal Mendis gets cap on ODI debut
ODI World Cup
He played 7 games in the 2019 ODI World Cup in England and scored 143 points, with an average of 20.43 and a strike rate of 67.14. His highest score was 46 points against England. At the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, he scored 294 runs in 9 games, averaging 32.67 and strike rate 113.95. His highest score was 122 against Pakistan.
Kusal Mendis during the 2023 ODI World Cup
T20I
He made his T20I debut against England at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on 5 July 2016 and scored 21 points. He scored his first T20I half-century against Bangladesh on 15 February 2018 with a score of 53 runs. He is a member of the 2022 Asian Cup champion Sri Lanka team.
Kusal Mendis lifts 2022 Asian Cup trophy
T20 World Cup
At the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, he emerged as Sri Lanka’s top run-scorer with 223 runs in 8 games at an average of 31.86, and his highest strike rate of 142.95 against the Netherlands. for 79 points.
Kusal Mendis during T20 World Cup 2022
team leader
Kusal Mendis was appointed captain of Sri Lanka during the 2023 ODI World Cup following the injury to Dasan Shanaka; he played 7 World Cup matches as captain, recording a record of 2 wins and 5 losses.
jersey number
In international matches, he wears jersey number 13 for Sri Lanka.
Kusal Mendis jersey number 13
league
Lanka Premier League (LPL)
He plays for Kandy Tuskers in the 2020 LPL season, LPL inaugural season, and for Galle Gladiators in the 2021 LPL season and 2022 LPL season, Price Category Diamond A (USD 40,000; Approx. Sri Lanka 14 Million rupee). In the 2023 LPL season, he was signed by Dambulla Aura.
Kusal Mendis in Danbulla Aura’s LPL match
South Africa T20 (SA20) League
In September 2022, he was acquired by Pretoria Capitals for R425,000 (approximately 8.925 million Sri Lankan rupees) in the 2022-23 SA20 season.
Kusal Mendis and Maheesh Theekshana (left) during the SA20 League
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL)
He signed with Chattogram Challengers for the 2024 BPL season.
dispute
car accident
At about 5am on July 5, 2020, he hit a 74-year-old cyclist near the 13th Mile Post in Horethuduwa, Panadura. The man later died at Panadura Hospital; the victim was Go A La Capola resident who works as a bus conductor. Avishka Fernando, who was also in the Range Rover SUV when the accident occurred, was said to have struck the man and left him there for about 40 minutes before an ambulance arrived. According to reports, Mendis later surrendered at Panadura North Police Station and was subsequently arrested and released on bail on July 6, 2020 with a surety of 1 million Sri Lankan rupees.
Cricketer Kusal Mendis, who was arrested following a vehicle accident in which a man died in Horethuduwa, Panadura yesterday, appeared in court Released on bail -Hiru #LKA #srilanka pic.twitter.com/43z89c8e6G
— Sri Lanka Tweet 🇱🇰 (@SriLankaTweet) July 6, 2020
Banned for one year
In July 2021, Kusal Mendis, Dhanushka Gunasiraka and Niroshan Dickwella were banned from international cricket for one year for breaching the bio-secure bubble during the England tour and domestic cricket for six months and fined a trio of Sri Lankan rupees £10 million. They were caught on camera wandering the streets of Durham before being sent back to Sri Lanka midway through the series. On January 7, 2022, the ban was lifted and he was allowed to participate in international cricket matches.
Kusal Mendis (black) during the biosecurity bubble burst
Awards
- Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Award 2013
Kusal Mendis wins Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year award
- ODI Batsman of the Year Award at Dialog Cricket Awards 2017
Kusal Mendis wins ODI Batsman of the Year award
tattoo
Kusal Mendis has multiple tattoos on both arms.
Kusal Mendis’s tattoos
Kusal Mendis’s tattoos
Kusal Mendis Tattoo
Facts/Trivia
- His nicknames were Menda and King of Menda.
- His batting style is right-handed and his bowling style is right-arm leg-spin. He plays as a top wicketkeeper-batsman.
Kusal Mendis takes a stump as wicket-keeper
- He failed to sell at the base price of Rs 50 lakh in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction.
- Kusal Mendis works out regularly in the gym to stay fit.
Kusal Mendis works out in the gym
- Many fans criticized him after the 2023 ODI World Cup match against India. Indian cricketer Virat Kohli equaled the record 49th ODI century in the match. When Mendis was asked if he would congratulate Kohli on his birth centenary, he asked why he would do so, leaving many fans unhappy. Later, he clarified that he did not understand the question and said that Virat Kohli is a great batsman who has achieved great feats.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education