Kusal Mendis: Sri Lanka Captain’s Profile, Headingley Century, Stats and Career
Kusal Mendis scored 121, his seventh ODI hundred, for Sri Lanka against England at Headingley, Leeds, on 24 September 2026, carrying his side to 321 for 6 in the second ODI. Here is the story of that innings and a full profile of Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper-batter and captain.
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Balapuwaduge Kusal Gimhan Mendis |
| Born | 2 February 1995, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka |
| Role | Right-handed wicketkeeper-batter; bowls right-arm leg-breaks |
| Test debut | 22 October 2015, against West Indies |
| ODI debut | 16 June 2016, against Ireland |
| T20I debut | 8 July 2016, against England |
| Highest scores | Tests 245 (against Ireland, 2023); ODIs 143 (against New Zealand, 2024) |
| Franchise teams | Kandy Tuskers, Galle Gladiators, Pretoria Capitals, Gujarat Titans |
Career numbers
These figures are as listed on Wikipedia and may not include the latest match. Cricinfo describes the Headingley 121 as his seventh ODI hundred.
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 73 | 4,757 | 36.87 (10 hundreds) |
| ODIs | 148 | 4,697 | 35.31 |
| T20Is | 90 | 2,198 | 25.55 |
Milestones
- Named ODI Batsman of the Year for the 2016-17 season.
- The second-fastest Sri Lankan to reach 1,000 ODI runs.
- Scored 1,023 Test runs in 2018, second only to Virat Kohli that year.
- Has led Sri Lanka in ODIs; Cricinfo calls him the Lankan skipper on the England tour.
The Headingley innings, step by step
- Coming in early. Kusal walked in at the 10th over after Pathum Nissanka (25 off 33 balls) was out lbw to Gus Atkinson, a decision that stood on review as umpire’s call.
- A lucky escape. On 18 he was dropped by Atkinson, who could not hold a skied chance.
- The big stand. He added 137 in 120 balls for the third wicket with Kamindu Mendis (54), scoring at almost seven an over. Sri Lanka’s 200 came up in the 32nd over.
- The hundred. A 19-run over off Josh Tongue (three fours and a six) took him close, and he reached the century in 82 balls with a drive through the covers off Jamie Overton.
- The finish. After Kamindu’s dismissal he added a run-a-ball 40 with Pavan Rathnayake (48). Janith Liyanage made 32, and Sri Lanka ended on 321 for 6, their highest first-innings ODI total against England since 2018. Gus Atkinson and Rehan Ahmed took two wickets each, and Jofra Archer one.
Why it matters
This was Sri Lanka’s first concerted batting effort of the tour. They had struggled on the slower surface at Chester-le-Street in the first ODI, and Headingley’s true bounce suited stroke-makers. It also showed depth, with useful contributions from four other batters. England began their chase later that night, so please check the scorecard for the final result.
