During the World Cup 2023 clash between England and Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium, Sri Lanka’s wicket-keeper, Kusal Mendis, showcased exceptional quick thinking as he executed a brilliant run-out of England’s Adil Rashid at the non-striker’s end.
Dinesh Karthik, the veteran Indian wicket-keeper who was in the commentary box at that moment, couldn’t help but express his admiration for Mendis’ sharp cricketing acumen. The defending champions, England, found themselves on the brink of elimination from the semi-final race after being dismissed for a mere 156 runs.
One of the highlights of the match was the outstanding run-out orchestrated by Kusal Mendis, which took place in the 32nd over. Maheesh Theekshana delivered a wide ball down the leg-side to David Willey.
Mendis swiftly gathered the ball, and as he prepared to send it to a fielder, he astutely noticed that Adil Rashid, the non-striker, had ventured out of his crease. Rashid had strayed from the non-striker’s crease after Theekshana released the ball, catching everyone by surprise.
With Rashid lingering outside his crease without any urgency to return, Kusal Mendis made a lightning-quick decision. He took aim at the stumps at the non-striker’s end and hit his mark with pinpoint accuracy.
Rashid attempted to scramble back into the crease but fell short by about a foot. Sri Lanka claimed the crucial wicket of Adil Rashid through their cricketing intelligence and Mendis’ astute presence of mind. Commentator Dinesh Karthik was thoroughly impressed by Mendis’ swift reaction and exceptional awareness.
In the end, Sri Lanka convincingly defeated England by 8 wickets in Bangalore. Opener Pathum Nissanka remained unbeaten with a score of 77, while the number 4 batsman, Sadeera Samarawickrama, contributed 65 runs. England’s struggles continued as they now occupy the 9th position in the points table with just one win in five games.
