New Delhi: Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando smashed remarkable centuries to power Sri Lanka to a mammoth total in the first innings of the first ODI match against New Zealand at Dambulla on Wednesday. Rain, however, played spoilsport in the final over as showers stopped play when the hosts had reached a score of 324/5 in 49.2 overs.
Meanwhile, after opting to bat first, the Lankans lost the wicket of opener Pathum Nissanka early in the innings when the score just read 17 on the board. The wicket paved way for Mendis to come on to the crease and join Fernando as the duo together thrashed the Kiwi bowlers out of the park. Both the batters registered the highest ODI partnership record for the Lankans against the Black Caps for any wicket with their solid 206-run stand for the second wicket.
The duo thus surpassed the previous partnership record of 201 between veterans Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga achieved in the year 2006 in Napier against the Kiwis.
Highest ODI partnerships for SL vs NZ
206 – Kusal Mendis & Avishka Fernando, Dambulla, 2024
201 – Sanath Jayasuriya & Upul Tharanga, Napier, 2006
184 – Sanath Jayasuriya & Mahela Jayawardene, Sharjah, 2001
170 – Sanath Jayasuriya & Hashan Tillakaratne, Bloemfontein, 2003
166 – Roshan Mahanama & Asanka Gurusinha, Colombo RPS, 1992
While Mendis was out after scoring a 143-run knock off 128 balls, Fernando smashed exactly 100 runs off 115 deliveries. For Mendis, it was day full of records as he entered the list of the wicketkeepers for the Lankans with highest scores in ODIs. Mendis surpassed Kumar Sangakkara in the list with his 143-run knock and interestingly, is behind Sangakkara only as he is the only other wicketkeeper for the Lankans in the elite list with highest score of 169.
Highest ODI scores as designated wicketkeeper for SL
169 – Kumar Sangakkara vs SA, Colombo (RPS), 2013
143 – Kusal Mendis vs NZ, Dambulla, 2024
138* – Kumar Sangakkara vs IND, Jaipur, 2005
134* – Kumar Sangakkara vs ENG, The Oval, 2013
133 – Kumar Sangakkara vs IND, Hambantota, 2012
Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando smashed centuries in the first ODI between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Dambulla on Wednesday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
