Follow UsSunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have handed an Indian Premier League (IPL) debut cap to Kamindu Mendis against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 3 (Thursday).
The spin-bowling all-rounder from Sri Lanka comes in place of South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder, who made his debut in the previous match against Delhi Capitals (DC). SRH suffered a collapse against DC and that forced them to play all-rounder Mulder ahead of Adam Zampa.
Mendis, 26, has played all three formats for Sri Lanka and was the ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year in 2024. The left-handed batter, who can bowl both right-arm offspin and left-arm spin, has had a fantastic start to his Test career but his numbers in white-ball cricket are also not that bad.
Mendis, who becomes the fourth Sri Lankan to play for SRH, has played 93 T20s and scored 1910 runs at an average of 26.52 and a strike rate of 128.18. He also has 17 wickets at an economy rate of 8.17.
In the last season of the Lanka Premier League, Mendis smashed 286 runs in nine innings at an average of 40.86 and a strike rate of 157.1.
SRH started the IPL 2025 with a bang, slamming 286 against Rajasthan Royals (RR), but have lost two matches since then. They have lost 19 wickets in the last two games, and that could be the reason why they gave Mendis a debut: to give them some security in the batting department.
Meanwhile, KKR have brought in Moeen Ali in place of Spencer Johnson.
SRH captain Pat Cummins won the toss and decided to bowl first against KKR at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in Match 15 of the IPL 2025.