SL vs NZ: Kamindu Mendis equals Don Bradman's record, becomes fastest Asian to....

Sri Lanka's middle-order batsman Kamindu Mendis on Friday made history by becoming the fastest Asian batsman in Test cricket to score five centuries. The 25-year-old left-handed batsman achieved this milestone in his 13th inning of the eighth Test match against New Zealand at Galle International Stadium. Mendis reached his fifth Test century with a single on the fourth ball of the 125th over of Sri Lanka's first innings, bowled by Glenn Phillips.

Mendis now shares the title of the third-fastest batsman to score five Test centuries, with the overall record held by West Indies' Everton Weekes, who accomplished the feat in his 10th inning. England's Herbert Sutcliffe and Australia's Robert Harvey achieved their fifth Test centuries in the 12th inning.

Notable cricket legends such as Australian Don Bradman and West Indies' George Headley also reached their fifth Test century in the 13th inning.

The previous record for the fastest five Test centuries by an Asian batter belonged to Pakistan's Fawad Alam, who achieved this milestone in 22 innings. For Sri Lanka, the record was held by Aravinda de Silva, who reached his fifth century in his 38th inning.

The talented young cricketer is now on track to become the fastest Asian batter in history to score 1000 runs in Tests. If he manages to score 178 runs in the first innings, he will surpass India's Vinod Kambli, who reached the 1000-run mark in his 14th Test inning.

In a historic achievement, Kamindu became the first batter in Test cricket history to score 50+ in each of his first eight matches by scoring 50 runs on Thursday.

Hailing from Galle, Kamindu made his Test debut against Australia in Galle on July 8, 2022, scoring 61 runs in the first innings. He followed this up with impressive performances of 102 and 164 runs in the second Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet from March 22 to 25, 2024. In his third Test against Bangladesh in Chattogram, Kamindu scored an unbeaten 92 runs in the first innings and was dismissed for nine in the second innings.

Subsequent Tests against England in August-September 2024 saw Kamindu scoring 12, 113, 74, 4, and 64 runs in five innings. He did not have the opportunity to bat in the second innings of the third Test, which Sri Lanka won by eight wickets within four days.

In the first Test of the current series against New Zealand, Kamindu scored 114 runs in the first innings and 13 in the second.

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