In the 38th game of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Delhi, he scored his 16th run against Bangladesh to accomplish the feat.
In ODIs, Mendis has been the 16th hitter from Sri Lanka to accomplish this milestone.
Interestingly, he took over as SL’s interim captain after Dasun Shanaka was hurt.
16th hitter from Sri Lanka to reach 3,500 ODI runs
Mendis achieved this milestone, as previously indicated, making him the sixteenth Sri Lankan.
Mendis is the second-highest run-scorer for SL among active players.
With 5,900 runs, seasoned all-rounder Angelo Mathews is the only player ahead of him.
In this regard, Dhananjaya de Silva has returned with more than 1,790 runs in this format, trailing only Kusal Perera, who has more than 3,170 runs.
Observing his astounding ODI results in 2023
This year in ODIs, Mendis has been outstanding for the Lankan Lions.
In 30 ODIs, he has accumulated 887 runs at an average of 34.11.
In this style, the 28-year-old has scored six fifties and one hundred in 2023.
This year, the only other Sri Lankan batsmen with 800+ runs in ODIs are Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama.
Observing his ODI stats
Since making his ODI debut in 2016, Mendis has been an essential member of Sri Lanka’s cricket side.
At an average of 32.43, he has now raced beyond 3,503 runs in 120 games.
His strike percentage is 86.32. In addition to 26 fifty, the total includes three tonnes.
Since Mendis’s debut, no other SL hitter has even reached 2,000 runs in ODIs.
greatest run total in ODIs for SL’s wicketkeeper
In One-Day Internationals, Mendis has long been the chosen wicket-keeper for Sri Lanka.
He has made 42 appearances as a wicketkeeper overall, accumulating 1,317 runs at an average of 36.58.
He’s got one tonne and ten fifty.
In this sense, Mendis is only lagging behind the likes of RS Kaluwitharana (3,691), Niroshan Dickwella (1,500), Kumar Sangakkara (13,082), and Dinesh Chandimal (1,481).
One of Mendis’s off days
Mendis appeared extremely hesitant at the crease in a crucial match against Bangladesh. Before succumbing to Shakib Al Hasan in the twelfth over, with SL reeling at 66/2, he could only muster a 30-ball 19.
In 16 ODIs against the Bangla Tigers, the wicketkeeper has amassed 480 runs overall at 34.28 (50s: 3, 100: 1).
He has 288 runs in eight 2023 World Cup games.