Two Sri Lankan cricket players remain hospitalised in Colombo, two weeks after the squad was attacked by militant gunmen in Pakistan, the team's doctor said on March 16. Thilan Samaraweera, who had a bullet removed from his left thigh, and Ajantha Mendis, who had shrapnel extracted from his head and back,

Yuvraj Singh had a mere 72 runs to show in five one-dayers the last time India toured Sri Lanka. Just six months on, he proudly flaunts the 'Man-of-the-Series' award as he walks back to the dressing room from the presentation area of that same R Premadasa Stadium. More than the trophy and the cheque of $2500, he carries back home a load of 274 runs from five matches.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said Sunday his batsmen have done well by not giving wickets to Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan but they have still not managed to get the better of the spin twins in the ongoing one-day series against Sri Lanka. Muralitharan and Mendis, who have enjoyed a good success rate against India in the past, have so far come a cropper in the five-match series which the Indians lead 2-0.

Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis is no longer a threat for Indian batsmen who have now learnt to tackle the mystery bowler, star off-spinner Harbhajan Singh said on Thursday. "During last year's tour Mendis was no doubt a real threat to India. But the Indian batsmen have now learnt to tackle him, which was proved in Wednesday's first match of the ODI series where Mendis proved a flop," said Harbhajan, who missed out on the tour of the Emerald Islands owing to a hamstring injury.

Playing down the threat from the new spin sensation of Sri Lanka Ajantha Mendis, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said on Monday his team is not wary of playing him. Addressing the media here on the upcoming five one-day international series against Sri Lanka beginning Wednesday in Dambulla, the Indian skipper, however, said it is always "tough to beat Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka".

Sri Lankan spin magicians Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis loom as major threats for Pakistan in their three-match one-day series which opens here Tuesday. The 36-year-old Muralitharan, already the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 769, will have the extra motivation of overhauling the tally of one-day wickets, currently held by Pakistan's Wasim Akram with 502.

Already the name is on everyone's lips and in everyone's minds. It is inevitable as the freak-bowler show that is Ajantha Mendis tours countries of the cricket world. Already he is a dream for headline writers and reporters; Mission Mendis, Solving the Mendis Mystery; how do you tackle him? how good is he? Do you read him from the hand or off the pitch? How many videos of him have you seen?

The spinner Ajantha Mendis became the fastest bowler to take 50 wickets in one-day internationals as Sri Lanka defeated Zimbabwe by 130 runs in their first match of the tri-series tournament in Dhaka today. Set to score a modest 211 for victory, Zimbabwe were all out for 80 in 28.2 overs with just Stuart Matsikenyeri reaching double figures. Mendis took three for 15, completing his 50-wicket haul in his 19th one-day international and bettering the record of India's Ajit Agarkar who took 23 matches to reach the milestone.

The series is yet to kick off but Pakistan's cricketers are already spending sleepless nights trying to figure out how they would tackle the Sri Lankan spin twins Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis in the forthcoming one-day and Test matches in Karachi. Senior Pakistan batsman Younis Khan said he was working out how to successfully deal with Mendis, who has bamboozled batsmen with his mystery bowling grip and variations. Mendis' bowling grip which is similar to those used in tape tennis cricket even left the Indian batsmen guessing when they toured Sri Lanka last year while in the two matches against Pakistan he has been on top.

Ajantha Mendis became the fastest bowler to complete 50 wickets in one-day internationals as Sri Lanka crushed Zimbabwe by 130 runs in a triangular series match here on Monday. The unorthodox spinner finished with 3-15 off 5.2 disciplined overs as Sri Lanka dismissed Zimbabwe for a paltry 80 after scoring 210-6.Mendis, playing his 19th one-day international, broke Indian fast bowler Ajit Agarkar's record of 50 wickets in 23 matches.