November 6th 2023.
Sri Lankan captain Kusal Mendis' response to a reporter's suggestion that he congratulate Indian batting star Virat Kohli on his monumental achievement during the India-South Africa 2023 World Cup clash left fans baffled. When asked if he would like to congratulate Kohli on scoring a record 49th ODI ton, Mendis simply replied, “Why would I want to congratulate him?”
It is believed that the Sri Lankan team has yet to recover from the crushing 302-run loss to India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 2nd. The match saw Indian pacers come all guns blazing, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj making breakthroughs with the first ball of their respective spells. Mohammed Shami was equally relentless as he took a fifer to secure the win.
The Island nation was bowled out for just 55 in response to India's total of 357, and the fans had a lot to say about Mendis' response. Many took to social media to express their opinion, with some referring to it as 'the 55 run effect', and others deeming the response as 'low quality'.
Others pointed to the Sri Lankan team's other defeats against India, such as their Asia Cup loss in Sri Lanka and the 75 all out score in Trivandrum. A few even suggested that Mendis' response was due to the trauma of being bowled out by Siraj in the Asia Cup final.
There were a few who were more understanding of Mendis' point of view and noted that it is hard to congratulate someone from the losing side. However, most were of the opinion that cricketers should be educated in social ethics and manners when interacting with the media.
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