Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis faces heavy criticism as he refuses to wish Virat Kohli for 49th century in ODI World Cup 2023

The Sri Lankan cricket team captain Kusal Mendis recently faced harsh criticism as he made a rude statement during the prem conference ahead of the team match against Bangladesh at The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on 6 November. The journalist humbly asked Mendis if he would like to congratulate Virat Kohli for his milestone, and the skipper’s reply shocked everyone. 

During the pre-match conference held on 5 November, the Sri Lankan skipper was asked his views as Virat Kohli made history during the match against South Africa as he equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record and became the second batter to score the highest centuries in ODI cricket. The journalist’s question related to Virat Kohli in the conference came to Mendis as a surprise and he instantly replied, “why would I congratulate him?”. 

Watch the video here:

https://twitter.com/SharyOfficial/status/1721160265566204099?s=20

Kusal Mendis’ statement made a huge uproar as the fans openly criticised him for his rude reply. Many fans also said he could have just said simple Best of luck or congratulations in place of a long speech. Some fans even started to compare the Sri Lankan cricketers with the Bangladeshi cricketers who have given rude statements in the past. 

Virat Kohli expressed his happiness and gratitude as he achieved the milestone of equalling Sachin’s record in the post-match ceremony and said, “I’m just happy that God has blessed me with that enjoyment. I’m just happy that I’m able to do what I have done over all these years.”

While talking about Sachin’s message, he said, “It is all too much for me to take in now, to equal my hero’s record is something special for me. He is perfection when it comes to batting. It’s a very emotional moment for me. I know where I come from, I know the days I have watched him on TV. Just to get that appreciation from him means a lot to me.”