Breakout Sri Lanka star bags ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year award for 2024

New Zealand v Sri Lanka - Men
Kamindu Mendis bags ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year award for 2024. (Source: Getty)

Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis was named the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2024. The left-hander had an exceptional year, particularly in Test cricket, where he became the joint-third fastest player to score 1,000 runs in Men’s Tests—matching Sir Don Bradman’s record of 13 innings to reach the milestone.

Throughout 2024, Mendis participated in 34 matches across all formats, scoring 1,458 runs at an impressive average of 47.03, including five half-centuries and five centuries.

In a video interview with the ICC, the 26-year-old shared his excitement about being named the Emerging Cricketer of the Year. He expressed:

“I’m really happy to be the Emerging Player of the Year. It means a lot for me; I would like to thank my family, my teammates, and my coaches. The innings I am most proud of last year was my century against England because in England you can’t score a hundred easily. So, it was a good hard work, so I think that’s my best hundred last year.”
“I put lot of hard work in the nets, practice, and training in last couple of years. As a team we worked hard really in last couple of years. We got some great performances last year and big wins,” he concluded.

The other nominees for the award were Pakistan’s Saim Ayub, West Indies’ Shamar Joseph, and England’s Gus Atkinson.


A look at Kamindu Mendis' record in international cricket

Kamindu Mendis made his international debut for Sri Lanka in a T20I against England in 2018. Since then, the left-handed batter has played 23 T20Is, scoring 381 runs, including two half-centuries. He made his ODI debut the following year in 2019 and has since appeared in 17 matches, accumulating 344 runs, with two fifties.

However, it is in Test cricket where Mendis has truly excelled. He made his debut in 2022, scoring 61 runs in his first game. Although he didn’t play in 2023, he made a remarkable return in 2024, amassing 1,049 runs in nine matches at an impressive average of 74.92, including three half-centuries and five centuries.

Overall, Mendis has played 10 Test matches, scoring 1,110 runs at an average of 74, with a career-best score of unbeaten 182.

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Edited by Sudeshna Banerjee
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