Recognition comes with performances against big teams, says Mendis

In five decades of involvement with the game of cricket, Duleep Mendis has donned many hats. He was a stylish, attacking batter who played enterprising knocks to drive Sri Lanka’s emergence in the 1970s and 80s, served as manager of the team that won the 1996 World Cup, and then transitioned to the role of chief selector in his home country.

Since 2012, Mendis, who turned 73 in August, has been helping Oman take baby steps in the cauldron of international cricket in his capacity as a coach. The team from the Middle East, which gained Associate status in 2014, has participated in three T20 World Cups since 2016, but is only now appearing in its maiden Asia Cup.

Ahead of a Group-A fixture against India at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Mendis underlined the big opportunity that the Oman players have in their final game of the continental event.

“It is a big opportunity to play against the big boys,” Mendis told The Hindu in an interview over the phone on Wednesday. “And the players should take it as a challenge. They should take it as an opportunity to emerge on the world stage. If they perform, only then will the world get to know who you are. You can perform over and over again with the small countries. But you will not be known. If you have one or two big performances against good sides, then you are recognised. This type of opportunity they will never get.”