Praising Sri Lanka's mystery bowler Ajantha Mendis's showing against the star-studded Indian batting line-up in the just concluded three-Test series, former Australian coach John Buchanan says the youngster should be judged on a long-term basis. "Mendis reminds me a bit of Johnny Gleeson, though he releases the ball much quicker, is taller and stronger. He also has good change of pace," he told newspersons in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Ajantha Mendis remained an unsolved mystery for the Indian cricket team during the Test series but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni says the Sri Lankan spin wizard would not be much of a threat if openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir go after his loose deliveries in the one-dayers starting on Monday.
IMAGES from the Asia Cup Super 4 match played between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Colombo on Thursday.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni believes Sri Lanka's new bowling weapon, Ajantha Mendis, will provide the sternest of tests on their tour of the island.
'So, if one or two (batsmen) from the top-order can bowl it will definitely help the team, of course, depending on pitch conditions and situations. Also, it will be a surprise element to the opposition, if a batter can bowl.'
South Australia has roped in Sri Lankan mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis for this season's Twenty20 Big Bash, the club said on Tuesday.
Binura Fernando, Pramod Madushan, Dushan Hemantha back in Sri Lanka squad
Sri Lanka completed a 2-0 series sweep against Bangladesh on Wednesday after winning the second Test in Chattogram by 192 runs despite Mehidy Hasan Miraz's gallant resistance.
India edged Sri Lanka via the Super Over in a low-scoring thriller to register a 3-0 whitewash in the T20 International series in Pallekele, on Tuesday.
IMAGES from Asia Cup Super 4 match played between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Colombo on Saturday.
Sri Lanka's cricket selectors on Tuesday included uncapped all-rounder Jeevan Mendis in the 15-man squad to play the first Test against Pakistan starting this weekend.
Mohammad Nabi's game changing 65 off 32 balls came to nothing as Sri Lanka pulled off a thrilling two-run win over an audacious Afghanistan.
A slew of records were broken as Pakistan recorded a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka after chasing down a mammoth 345 in their ICC World Cup match in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
After being bowled out for a paltry 183 in the first innings losing as many as eight wickets in a single session, No 3 Mendis (110 off 135 balls) and opener Karunaratne (92 batting, 200 balls) added 191 as the visitors could get only two wickets in the next two sessions.
All-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva will take over from Dimuth Karunaratne as captain of Sri Lanka's Test side, the country's cricket board (SLC) said on Thursday.
IMAGES from the ICC World Cup match played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka dropped veteran Sanath Jayasuriya and spinner Ajantha Mendis from their 15-member squad for the Asia Cup tournament starting in Colombo from June 15.
Australia's 417-6 against Afghanistan in Perth in 2015 was the previous highest total in the men's World Cup.
Images from Day 3 of the second Test between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo, on Saturday.
Ajantha Mendis took six wickets for 67 runs as the famed Indian batting line-up struggled despite Yuvraj Singh's brisk century and Gautam Gambhir's 89 on Day 2 in the three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Board President's XI at the Colts Cricket Club Ground, in Colombo, on Wednesday.
With the famed Indian batting order's reputation in tatters, a dejected India captain Anil Kumble on Saturday said his side will have to find ways to take on the Lankan spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis if they have to come back in the second Test. Muralitharan and debutant Mendis shared 19 wickets between them to hand the Indians a humiliating innings and 239-run defeat in the first Test.
Sri Lanka thrashed the Netherlands by a whopping 83 runs in an inconsequential final group D league game of the T20 World Cup.
Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar returned to the cricket field once again after playing his last international back in 2013, featuring in the One World One Family Cup match held at Bengaluru on Thursday.
Several senior players, including Sanath Jayasuriya, Lasith Malinga, Chamara Kapugedera and Ajantha Mendis, were left out for next month's tri-series with Bangladesh and India. Former captain Mahela Jayawardene, spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, all-rounder Angelo Mathews and fast bowler Dilhara Fernando were not available due to injury.
Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj sent Sri Lanka crashing for 55 as India scored a thumping 302-run victory to qualify for semis.
Ajantha Mendis took six wickets for 67 runs as the famed Indian batting line-up struggled despite Yuvraj Singh's brisk century and Gautam Gambhir's 89 on Day 2 in the three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Board President's XI at the Colts Cricket Club Ground, in Colombo, on Wednesday.
'I think they are the best players of spin in the Sri Lanka squad. And Charith, he showed great character. Special feeling, back to back finals.'
IMAGES from the ICC World Cup match played between South Africa and Sri Lanka in New Delhi on Saturday.
Injured Sri Lanka pacer Dhammika Prasad will miss the second Test against India starting in Kanpur on Tuesday but opener Tillekaratne Dilshan will play despite suffering a broken nose. Prasad, 26, picked up a hamstring strain on the final day of last week's high-scoring drawn first Test in Ahmedabad and will not be considered for the second contest of a three-match series.
TV footage showed gunmen with backpacks firing at the convoy as they fled from the scene, with several vehicles damaged and unexploded grenades lying around. None of the attackers were killed or captured, Lahore police chief Haji Habibur Rehman said
Hasaranga's bowling figures are the second-best by a Sri Lanka bowler with Chaminda Vaas's 8/19, against the same opposition 23 years ago, the best in men's ODI history.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma wanted a clinical performance from his bowlers after posting the highest total in World Cup history of 428/5 against Sri Lanka in their tournament-opener, adding that he was satisfied with individual achievements of his players.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan says he felt he "was at war" when he decided to approach the umpire and demand Sri Lanka all-rounder Angelo Mathews be 'timed out' for not being ready to face the bowling within two minutes of the fall of a wicket in the World Cup match in New Delhi on Monday.
The Indian swing master broke a few records en route this dream performance in a title-winning effort.
Uncertainty looms over Lanka-Bangla World Cup clash due to severe air pollution
This sets up Real Madrid final against Borussia Dortmund, who knocked out Paris Saint-Germain in the other semi-final.
Kusal Mendis and captain Dimuth Karunaratne handed Sri Lanka a strong start in Day 1 of the first Test against New Zealand.
England's batsmen are adequately prepared for the challenge of facing maverick Sri Lankan bowlers Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis in Thursday's vital World Twenty20 match, all-rounder Ravi Bopara said on Wednesday.
Veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews replaced injured pacer Matheesha Pathirana in Sri Lanka's World Cup squad.
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