Kamindu Mendis creates world record in just 8 Tests, achieves what even Don Bradman couldn't

Sri Lanka National Cricket Team all-rounder Kamidu Mendis achieved a massive feat in the history of Test cricket. He became the first cricketer ever to register a half-century in all of his first 8 games in the longest format of the game.

Kamindu Mendis achieved the feat in the ongoing second Test against the New Zealand National Cricket Team. The last match of the two-match series between the two teams is taking place at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle, which begins on Thursday (26th September).

Kamidu Mendis came up with a stellar performance with the bat in the ongoing game. He continued his golden touch in the longest format of the game and made sure that he put his team in the dominating position on Day 1 of the ongoing second Test against the New Zealand National Cricket Team.

Kamindu Mendis walked out to bat at No.5 and ensured that he cashes on the platform provided by the top-order batters. The left-hander batted freely and scored runs quickly, making sure that he helped his team go past 300 runs on the board at the end of Day 1.

Kamindu Mendis racked up a terrific half-century in the last over of the day as he batted with full control. The Southpaw hit bowlers all over the park and ensured that he lived up to the expectations yet again. He ended Day 1 unbeaten at 51 runs off 56 balls with the help of 8 boundaries and 1 six.

With this, he became the first-ever player to hit 8 consecutive 8 half-centuries in 8 games. He went past Pakistan National Cricket Team batter Saud Shakeel, who had hit 7 half-centuries in the first 7 games that he played for the team.

50+ scores in most successive Tests from debut; Kamindu Mendis tops list

50+ scores in most successive Tests from debut

8 - Kamindu Mendis*

7 - Saud Shakeel

6 - Bert Sutcliffe

6 - Saeed Ahmed

6 - Basil Butcher

6 - Sunil Gavaskar

No cricketers had managed to display this kind of consistency in Test cricket since the first match was played in 1877. Mendis now has four centuries and five fifties in his first eight Test matches to continue to make the headlines with each innings.

Coming to the first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, the hosts are in the dominating position in the game. Opting to bat first, they didn't have a great outing with the bat at the start. Pathum Nissanka fell early, but after that, Dimuth Karunaratne slammed 46 runs before Dinesh Chandimal took center stage.

The wicketkeeper batter slammed a magnificent hundred and ended with the innings of 116 runs off 208 balls and also slammed 16 fours in his innings. After he got out, Angelo Matthews (78*) and Kamindu Mendis (51*) took the onus to themselves and made sure they ended Day on high.

The duo slammed an unbeaten 85-run partnership with the bat as Sri Lanka ended Day 1 on 306/3. They would be keen to carry on slam centuries and help the team post a massive total on the board.