Sri Lanka’s stand-in skipper, Kusal Mendis, addressed his peculiar response to a journalist’s question regarding Virat Kohli’s historic 49th ODI century. Kohli achieved this milestone during India’s clash with South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s revered record.
In a pre-match press conference ahead of Sri Lanka’s crucial encounter against Bangladesh, Mendis faced inquiries about Kohli’s accomplishment. Responding in an unusual manner, he later clarified that he was unaware of Kohli’s record at the time and expressed remorse for his initial response.
“During the press conference, I wasn’t aware that Kohli scored his 49th hundred. When the journalist suddenly asked, I didn’t know what to say, and I didn’t understand the question as well. Scoring 49 hundreds is not easy. What I said was wrong, and I am feeling for it,” Mendis explained, as quoted by Asian Mirror.
Mendis acknowledged the significance of Kohli’s achievement, recognizing the difficulty of reaching such a prolific century count. The stand-in skipper admitted his regret for the miscommunication and emphasized his respect for Kohli’s remarkable feat.
This century marked Kohli’s fourth in World Cups, placing him third among India’s century-makers in the format, trailing Tendulkar with six and Rohit Sharma with seven. It was also his second century in this specific World Cup.
This accomplishment is notable as it happened on the same ground where Kohli scored his first international hundred against Sri Lanka in 2009. On that occasion, he came in to bat after Tendulkar’s dismissal, forming a match-winning 224-run partnership with Gautam Gambhir.
During a press conference ahead of the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh game in Delhi, Mendis, the stand-in Sri Lankan skipper, appeared a bit puzzled and chuckled when informed that Kohli had matched Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI hundreds. Mendis then asked the reporter why he should congratulate the star batsman for the achievement.
Sri Lanka’s interim captain, Kusal Mendis, made an unusual comment following Virat Kohli’s 49th ODI century in the India-South Africa match on November 5th.
“Why I would congratulate him?” responded Mendis.
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