‘MYSTERY SPINNER’, ‘CARROM BALL’ EXPERT ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL CRICKET

One of the noted spinners in Srilankan Cricket Team Ajantha Mendis announced retirement from all forms of cricket. Mendis remained to be one of the challenging bowlers for batsmen and his six-wicket haul during the 2008 Asia Cup could not be forgotten for his deadly carrom balls. In fact, there were times Indian fans remained at the edge of the seat to watch him bowl in crucial times.

He has played 19 Tests, 87 ODIs and 39 T20s in his career and picked up 288 wickets at the highest level. He was the earliest recipient of the 'mystery spinner' moniker from Sri Lanka. Ajantha Mendis was one among the very few international players to have performed exceptionally well in the year of debut itself.

Mendis picked a total of 58 wickets in 18 games in his debut year which was indeed 15 wickets higher than Muttiah Muralitharan at that year. In the same year, he picked up 26 wickets in three Test matches against India. His unbeaten records include fastest 50 wickets in the ODI Cricket and two 6 wicket hauls- one against Australia in August 2011 (6 for 16) and another against  Zimbabwe in September 2012 (6 for 8).