Mendis Century Seals Sri Lanka Series Win; Mehidy Blames Partnership Collapses for Bangladesh Defeat

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis emphasized the positive team environment as a key factor in their recent successes, following his century that clinched the ODI series against Bangladesh. The home side triumphed by 99 runs in Dambulla, securing the three-match series.

Mendis discusses his improved performance after a chat with coaches. © AFP

Sri Lanka has now secured victory in eight of their last nine ODI series. Mendis attributed this consistent performance to the leadership of stand-in captain Charith Asalanka and the coaching staff, led by Sanath Jayasuriya, for fostering a supportive atmosphere. The in-form batter, who scored a blistering 124, highlighted his lessons learned from the previous game, where he felt responsible for his dismissal after a rapid 56 off 31 balls.

"After my dismissal in the second ODI, I realized my decision-making was flawed. The wicket wasn't easy, and as the set batter, I should have continued batting. That was the reason for our defeat," Mendis stated. "The head coach and batting coach advised me to aim for a big score when I'm in good form. My rhythm was different today, and I balanced caution with aggression."

He further elaborated on the discussions with Batting Coach Thilina Kandamby, "We spoke extensively about converting starts into big scores. He consistently reminded me during net sessions to avoid throwing away my wicket after reaching 50 or 60. He had high expectations for this match, and I'm glad I could deliver."

On the other hand, Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan lamented his team's inability to form substantial partnerships in the crucial third ODI. The 124-run partnership between Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka (58) provided a solid foundation for Sri Lanka's imposing total. In contrast, Bangladesh suffered from frequent wickets falls and were eventually bowled out for 186 in 39.4 overs.

Mehidy explained, "They built a significant partnership after losing three wickets for 100 runs. Middle-overs partnerships are crucial. We achieved scores in the thirties or forties, but winning is difficult with such partnerships in ODI cricket. We lost wickets in quick succession, which put us in a difficult situation."

He added, "It was a good wicket. Two of their batters performed well. We couldn't exert enough pressure, especially with the way Kusal Mendis batted."

Mehidy also believed his own dismissal at a critical juncture shifted the momentum away from Bangladesh. "My dismissal put the team under pressure. I attempted a calculated risk, but I didn't execute the shot correctly. Had I connected, it would have gone for a six," he said. "When I was batting with [Towhid] Hridoy, we were close to seizing the momentum, but then I got out."

Furthermore, Mehidy defended Hridoy's relatively slow innings (51 off 78), arguing that the consistent loss of wickets prevented him from accelerating.

"He could have batted faster, but the regular fall of wickets hindered him. I won't blame him for the defeat. It's challenging for a batter to perform in that situation," he said. Mehidy also expressed concern about his team's failure to bat out the full 50 overs.

"It's a concern for the team that we couldn't bat for 50 overs. Our middle-order batters need to take more responsibility. We have significant room for improvement, and we have a lot of cricket ahead of us. I will analyze the areas where my team is lacking," Mehidy concluded.