Bipin Dani
Mumbai, Feb 16: Jeevan Mendis’ coach at Tamil Union was “not surprised” with his sensational comeback. The 35-year-old leg break bowler, playing his 17th T-20 match after a gap of more than four and half years, took the wicket with his very first ball against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka. Not only that, his first three deliveries yielded two wickets. “We knew about his talent and were “not at all surprised” with his bowling”, Kapila Weerasinghe, his coach at the Tamil Union said exclusively.
Sri Lanka’s Jeevan Mendis bowls against Bangladesh during the first Twenty20 international cricket match in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad)
“He is a very good and hard working player. We had not lost hope and were certain about his performance. Though he was not getting chance from the selectors, and was not being invited at the National Cricket Academy, we used to boost his morale all the time and he proved our confidence”.
“He has been included in the team for his good performance at the domestic level. The new selection committee gave a chance to him and our new coach Hathurusinghe had maintained a good rapport with him and I am sure he can still play ODIs’ and become a member of the World Cup”, the coach signed off.
Mendis last ODI was against Afghanistan almost three years ago.
FIGURES IN Bangla ODI match
| BMAJ Mendis | 3 OVERS | 0 | Maidens 21 | RUNS 2 | 7.00 |