Image: Kusal Mendis played a crucial knock, scoring 101 off 115 balls in the second ODI / © NDTV Sports
In the second ODI between Sri Lanka and Australia at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Kusal Mendis delivered a stellar batting performance, scoring 101 runs off 115 balls. His knock, which included 11 boundaries, was crucial in Sri Lanka’s total of 281/4. Mendis built strong partnerships, adding 98 runs with Nishan Madushka (51 off 70) for the second wicket and 94 runs with captain Charith Asalanka (78* off 66) for the fourth wicket.
Mendis reached his fifth ODI century in the 44th over, taking a single off Aaron Hardie’s delivery before celebrating by raising his bat and blowing a kiss toward the sky. Supporting contributions came from Janith Liyanage, who scored a quick 32 off 21 balls. Australia’s bowlers shared the wickets, with Ben Dwarshuis, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, and Adam Zampa each picking up one.
Sri Lanka, having won the first ODI by 49 runs, now aims for a 2-0 series sweep after losing the preceding Test series to Australia. Meanwhile, Steve Smith’s Australia will seek a win to gain momentum ahead of their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, which starts against England on February 22 in Lahore. Sri Lanka did not qualify for the tournament, finishing ninth in the 2023 ODI World Cup standings.