The milestone was reached in the 92nd over when Mendis struck a boundary off Razaullah. His unbeaten century was the cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s recovery, as he helped steer the side out of a precarious position. Having been reduced to 155/4 in 42 overs, the team found stability through a significant 249-run partnership between Mendis and his fifth-wicket batting partner, which effectively shifted the momentum of the contest.
An elite club of international captains
By reaching triple figures in his first Test as skipper, Mendis has joined an exclusive group of 37 cricketers who have achieved the feat in the history of the game. His accomplishment places him alongside some of the most prominent figures in modern cricket, including Virat Kohli, who scored 115 against Australia in 2014, and Steve Smith, who recorded 133 against India in Brisbane the same year. Joe Root also features on this prestigious list, having scored 190 against South Africa at Lord's in 2017.
The achievement is particularly rare in the context of matches against Pakistan; Mendis is only the second player, following former England captain Andrew Strauss, to score a century on his
A significant personal milestone
Beyond the captaincy record, the innings served as a major personal landmark for Mendis. During his time at the crease, he surpassed 13,000 runs in international cricket across all three formats. He is now the eighth Sri Lankan batter to reach this total.
The list of Sri Lanka's highest international run-scorers remains headed by Kumar Sangakkara, who accumulated 27,757 runs in 587 matches between 2000 and 2015. He is followed by Mahela Jayawardene with 25,688 runs and Sanath Jayasuriya, who finished his career with 20,966 runs.
