Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis etched his name into IPL history books on Friday, despite a disappointing night for the Gujarat Titans, who were knocked out of the tournament by the Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator clash at Mullanpur.
Making his long-awaited IPL debut, Mendis became only the third player in tournament history to debut in a playoff match an extremely rare occurrence in the league’s 17-season history. The 30-year-old was signed by Gujarat Titans exclusively for the playoffs as a veteran wicketkeeper replacement for Jos Buttler.
In a high-pressure match chasing Mumbai’s imposing 228-run total, Mendis dropped catches offered by Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, and was later dismissed hit-wicket after scoring 20 runs. His brief but eventful innings didn’t change the tide for Gujarat, who ultimately fell short by 20 runs and bowed out of the tournament.
While Mendis’ contribution with the bat was limited, his debut was still historic. He joined Sunny Gupta (Delhi Daredevils, 2012) and Mushir Khan (Punjab Kings, 2025) as the only players to make their IPL debut in the playoffs. Mendis also became the first overseas player ever to debut at this stage of the competition.
Gujarat Titans, who had dominated much of the league phase and held the top spot for several weeks, stumbled toward the end with two consecutive losses. That drop in momentum cost them dearly, culminating in their playoff exit.
Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, will now face Punjab Kings in the second qualifier, keeping their title hopes alive.
Despite Gujarat’s early exit, Mendis’ unexpected debut has already left a mark in IPL history.
