**Asia Cup 2025: Kamindu Mendis Shines Versus Pakistan**
*By Parth Dhall | Sep 23, 2025 | 11:14 pm*
Sri Lanka posted a competitive total of 133/8 against Pakistan in the 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup Super Four clash at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium. The standout performance came from Kamindu Mendis, who played a crucial innings to steer his team after a top-order collapse.
**Batting Woes: Early Wickets Hurt Sri Lanka**
Sent in to bat first, Sri Lanka struggled early on as wickets tumbled quickly. Kusal Mendis was dismissed for a duck on just the second ball of the innings. Pathum Nissanka, another vital batsman, also fell cheaply after scoring only 8 runs. Kusal Perera and skipper Charith Asalanka tried to stabilize the innings but were dismissed for 15 and 20 runs respectively. By the time half the team was back in the pavilion, Sri Lanka were struggling at 58 for 6.
**Late Innings Rescue: Kamindu Mendis Holds Firm**
Despite the wickets falling around him, Kamindu Mendis stood firm. Facing tight bowling from Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi, Hussain Talat, and Haris Rauf, Mendis showed resilience and composure. With Sri Lanka at 80/6 after the departure of Wanindu Hasaranga (15), Kamindu forged a valuable 43-run partnership with Chamika Karunaratne, helping the side cross the 120-run mark.
Kamindu’s determined knock of 50 runs came off 44 balls and included 3 fours and 2 sixes. Unfortunately, he was trapped lbw by Shaheen Afridi in the penultimate over. The decision, which involved some controversy over the use of DRS, marked the end of his innings. Nevertheless, his contribution was vital in setting a challenging total for Pakistan.
**Milestone Reached: Kamindu Mendis Surpasses 500 T20I Runs**
This innings marked Kamindu Mendis’ 32nd T20 International match, during which he crossed the 500-run milestone in the format. In 28 innings, he has amassed 525 runs at an average of 21, boasting a strike rate of 128.04. Kamindu now has three half-centuries to his name in T20 International cricket, underscoring his growing importance to the Sri Lankan lineup.
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Kamindu Mendis’ fighting innings gave Sri Lanka a chance to compete hard against Pakistan in this crucial Asia Cup Super Four encounter. The Lankan fans will hope for more such performances from the young batter as the tournament progresses.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/asia-cup-2025-kamindu-mendis-slams-half-century-against-pakistan/story