Kusal Mendis endured an IPL debut to forget in the high-stakes Eliminator clash between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI) on May 30, 2025. His performance, marked by crucial dropped catches and an unusual hit-wicket dismissal, left GT fans fuming and significantly impacted his team’s chances in the knockout game.
Dropped Catches Prove Costly
Playing as a replacement for Jos Buttler, Mendis, the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman, had a nightmare behind the stumps. Early in the MI innings, he dropped two vital catches that proved to be incredibly expensive for the Gujarat Titans.
- Rohit Sharma Reprieve: Mendis dropped Rohit Sharma when the MI opener was on just 12 runs. Sharma went on to capitalize on this lifeline, smashing a magnificent 81 runs off 50 balls, anchoring Mumbai’s formidable total.
- Suryakumar Yadav Escapes: Later, Mendis put down another chance, this time off Suryakumar Yadav, who was then on 26 runs. Suryakumar contributed a valuable 33 runs off 20 balls, providing crucial support to Sharma.
These missed opportunities allowed Mumbai Indians’ key batsmen to build substantial partnerships and post a daunting total of 228/5, putting immense pressure on the chasing Gujarat Titans.
Bizarre Hit-Wicket Dismissal
Just when it seemed his fielding blunders couldn’t be topped, Mendis’s batting innings came to a bizarre and unfortunate end. After a promising start where he scored 20 runs off just 10 balls, including a boundary and two sixes, his stay at the crease was cut short by a rare hit-wicket dismissal.
- The Incident: In the seventh over of GT’s chase, facing Mitchell Santner, Mendis attempted a pull shot. While going deep in his crease, his back foot slid and inadvertently dislodged the bails. The dismissal abruptly ended a crucial 64-run partnership with Sai Sudharsan and left Gujarat Titans at 67/2.
- A Rare Occurrence: This hit-wicket was particularly noteworthy as it marked Mendis as the first-ever player to be dismissed hit-wicket on IPL debut, and also the first in an IPL playoff match.
Fan Frustration and Impact on the Game
The string of errors from Kusal Mendis fueled widespread anger and frustration among Gujarat Titans supporters. His dropped catches were seen as direct contributors to MI’s massive score, and his bizarre dismissal at a crucial juncture of the chase added to the team’s woes. Ultimately, Mumbai Indians clinched a 20-run victory, eliminating the Gujarat Titans from IPL 2025. Mendis’s performance, therefore, became a significant talking point, highlighting a forgettable debut in the high-pressure environment of an IPL Eliminator.
