Balapuwaduge Ajantha Winslow Mendis (born 11 March 1985), known as Ajantha Mendis, is a Sri Lankan former international cricketer who represented the Sri Lankan national cricket team across all three formats of the game. A right-arm spin bowler, he earned the moniker "mystery spinner" on account of the unusual variations in his bowling action. He retired from all forms of cricket in August 2019.
| Full name | Balapuwaduge Ajantha Winslow Mendis |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 11 March 1985 |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Role | Bowler (spin) |
| Nickname | Mystery spinner |
| ODI debut | 2008, vs West Indies at Port of Spain |
| Test debut | 23 July 2008, vs India at Colombo |
| IPL franchise | Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Major team honour | 2014 ICC World Twenty20 winner |
| Retirement | August 2019 |
Mendis emerged in international cricket in 2008, quickly drawing attention for a bowling action that combined elements of off-spin, leg-spin and the carrom ball, making his variations difficult for batters to read.
Mendis made his One Day International debut against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 2008, returning figures of 3 for 39. He went on to set the record for the fastest 50 wickets in ODI cricket, reaching the milestone in just 19 matches.
He played his first Test match against India at Colombo on 23 July 2008, finishing with match figures of 8 for 132. With this performance, he became the first Sri Lankan bowler to take an eight-wicket haul on Test debut.
Mendis was, until February 2017, the only bowler to have taken six wickets in a Twenty20 International, a feat he achieved twice. On 18 September 2012, he claimed the then world-record figures of 6 wickets for 8 runs for Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe. The record was subsequently broken by India's Deepak Chahar in 2019 in a T20I against Bangladesh.
He was a member of the Sri Lankan squad that won the 2014 ICC World Twenty20.
Mendis featured in the Indian Premier League, turning out for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Mendis is regarded as one of the most distinctive spinners of his era. His record-setting pace to 50 ODI wickets, his eight-wicket haul on Test debut, and his twin six-wicket hauls in T20Is — including the long-standing record figures of 6/8 — placed him among the most impactful bowlers in short-form international cricket during his peak years.