Personal Information

Full NameBalapuwaduge Ajantha Winslo Mendis
BornMarch 11, 1985 Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Age39 Years, 0 Months, 8 Days
National SideSri Lanka
Batting StyleRight Handed
BowlingOff break
SportCricket

Ranking

TestODIT20
Batting---
Bowling---

Man of the Match

TestODIT20World CupCL
06500

Career Information

Teams PlayedSri Lanka, Sri Lankan Board XI, Sri Lanka Army Sports Club, Police Sports Club, Sri Lankan Invitation XI, Kolkata Knight Riders, Wayamba, Somerset, Pune Warriors India, Sydney Thunder, Combined Provinces, Dhaka Gladiators, Sylhet Thunder, Nagenahira Nagas, Kandurata Maroons, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Udarata Rulers, Lahore Qalandars, Galle Guardians, Badulla District, Pearl Gladiators, Sri Lankan Legends, Wellawaya Vipers
Career Span

Balapuwaduge Ajantha Winslo Mendis Overall Stats

Batting & Fielding Performance

MIN/ORHS100s50s4s6sAVGS/RCTSTDucksR/O
Test
1919621378 v IND0125116.3846.8120
ODI
87421918821* v WI001628.1771.48150
World Cup
61100* v NZ0000-0.00--
T20I
398584* v IRE00102.6647.0560
IPL
103132 v RCB00001.5050.0020
CL
6421815 v CSK00219.0081.8110

Bowling Performance

IOMRWBest3s5sAVGE/RS/RMtc
Test
31788.21182434706/99 v BAN3434.773.0867.57
ODI
84692.23433241526/13 v IND17321.864.8027.32
World Cup
542.4513473/35 v NZ1019.143.1436.57
T20I
39147.35952666/8 v ZIM5214.426.4513.40
IPL
1040028582/19 v RR0035.627.1230.00
CL
622015083/14 v CTS1018.756.8116.50

Balapuwaduge Ajantha Winslo Mendis Profile

When he first arrived on the international stage, Ajantha Mendis was an absolute nightmare to the opposition batsmen. Even his team-mates who practiced with him in the nets for hours conceded that they had little idea what was to come out from those hands. Comparisons to the legendary Muttiah Muralidaran were evident and very early in his career, Mendis was expected to shoulder his country's huge expectations once the master bowed into the sunset.


After playing only 23 limited-over matches and 59 two to three-day games, he had picked up a mind-boggling 282 wickets. Everyone concerned realized Mendis' rare talent seeing him take 68 wickets in just 9 matches in the Sri Lankan domestic tournament in 2008 and he was immediately inducted into national ODI team. On his debut against West Indies, he took three wickets for 39 runs. However, Mendis unveiled his mastery in the Asia Cup final against India and ripped through the famed batting order, claiming six wickets in a mesmerizing spell of spin bowling. In his debut Test series against India, the then most experienced Test batting line-up made no difference to him as he took 26 wickets at an average of just 18.38 which won Sri Lanka the series and also hurt the ego of a nation renowned for producing the best batsmen of spin bowling.


His major exploits, however, have come in the shortest format of the game. He dominated the T20s not only in the domestic leagues but also at the international level. He holds the record for being the first person to take 6 wickets in an innings in a T20I and if that was something, he bettered that performance by another 6-wicket haul, making him the only man to do so twice.


Mendis' stock delivery is the off-spin but he can bowl top spinners, flippers, googlies and just about anything at different pace and action including the carrom ball which he releases with his middle finger. His greatest attribute though is his accuracy and the absolute control with which he bowls these deliveries.


With time and modern video analysis, the mystery about him faded and with opposition batsmen picking him, he started to struggle a bit. Last played an international match in 2015, his career was soon hampered by numerous injuries which sidelined Mendis from joining the national squad. Some poor performances with the ball along with injuries resulted in him getting completely out of the radar of the selectors. On 28th August 2019, the Sri Lankan mystery spinner bid adieu to the cricketing world and retired from all forms of cricket.