To celebrate the Sri Lankan sensation’s incredible ascent in international cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced Kamindu Mendis as the Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year. The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who signed Mendis for a base price of Rs 75 lakh at the IPL 2025 mega auction, will undoubtedly take pride in this recognition and would hope that the player turns up in his maiden IPL assignment as well.
Kamindu Mendis surely deserve this!
Kamindu Mendis had a stellar year, racking up an impressive 1451 runs across all formats with an average exceeding 50. Initially with just a single Test appearance prior to 2024, Mendis reshaped his career through consistent performances, proving himself as a vital asset for the Sri Lankan team. His contributions were particularly massive during their pursuit of a maiden ICC World Test Championship Final spot, where he rose to the occasion in crucial matches. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka are out of contention for the spot, but Mendis stole the show everytime he step onto the field.
A prolific run-scorer, who scored 1451 runs across formats at an average of just above 50
— ICC (@ICC) January 26, 2025
Sri Lanka's star on the rise has taken out the ICC Emerging Men's Cricketer of the Year Awardpic.twitter.com/qIrRy5Kpif
In his year in review, Mendis amassed 1049 runs from nine Test matches, boasting a remarkable average of 74.92, making him one of only six batters to cross the 1000-run mark for the year. Among these, his standout performance came against New Zealand in Galle, where he scored an unbeaten 182 in a single innings. The other nominated players were Gus Atkinson, Saim Ayub and Shamar Joseph.
Kamindu Mendis is only the second Sri Lankan to receive this honour after Ajantha Mendis won it back in 2008.
