Sri Lankan spinner who bowled with both hands — and broke Bangladesh
A look at ambidextrous bowlers around the world who shocked their rivals
Dubai: One minute, Bangladesh were cruising. The next, they were clueless — flummoxed by a bowler who couldn’t make up his mind which arm to bowl with.
Chasing 245 under lights in the first ODI, Bangladesh were comfortably placed at 100 for one before enduring a jaw-dropping meltdown. In the space of just 26 deliveries, they lost seven wickets for five runs, eventually crashing to 167 all out as Sri Lanka secured a 77-run win on Wednesday.
It was the ambidextrous Kamindu Mendis who spun the game on its head — and from both sides, quite literally.
Bowling left-arm orthodox spin, Mendis removed Towhid Hridoy and Tanzim Hasan Sakib in his first eight balls. Then, with Bangladesh in a daze, he switched to right-arm off-spin and dismissed Taskin Ahmed three deliveries later. He finished with an outrageous 3 for 19 in five overs — a stat line as bizarre as his method.
Spin trio suffocate Bangladesh
Wanindu Hasaranga played the more traditional role with his leg-spin, while Mendis’ dual act gave Sri Lanka three distinct spin options. Bangladesh’s middle and lower order couldn’t find an answer — or even figure out the question — during a stunning passage of play that turned a routine chase into a rout.
Ambidextrous bowlers: The rarest on cricket
For Mendis, becoming the first Sri Lankan to score eight consecutive 50-plus scores since debut in Tests, the impact was two-fold.
Mendis might be the man in the headlines, but he’s part of a niche club of cricketers who’ve bowled with both arms in professional cricket.
Here are a few notable names:
Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka): Bowls right-arm off-spin and left-arm orthodox spin — often in the same over.
Akshay Karnewar (India): A domestic-level ambidextrous bowler with viral videos showcasing both styles.
Yasir Jan (Pakistan): A rare ambidextrous pace bowler.
Jemma Barsby (Australia): A women’s cricketer who switches arms depending on the batter.
Shaila Sharmin (Bangladesh): Another female ambidextrous spinner from Bangladesh.
Hanif Mohammad (Pakistan): Believed to be the first to bowl with both arms in a Test.
Graham Gooch (England): Occasionally bowled left-arm when games drifted towards a draw.
Hashan Tillakaratne (Sri Lanka): The wicketkeeper shocked fans by bowling with both hands during the closing stages of the 1996 World Cup match against Kenya.
