Kusal Mendis Stunned Into Silence After 'IPL' Question In Pakistan Super League | Watch

Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis found himself in an uncomfortable situation during a post-match press conference after Peshawar Zalmi’s convincing win over Lahore Qalandars in Karachi on Saturday.

The wicketkeeper-batter, who played a key role in the victory with a fluent 74 off 48 balls, was named Player of the Match. However, the spotlight soon shifted away from his performance when a journalist raised a controversial question about his past decision to leave the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2025.

Absurd Question

The journalist asked, “Last year, Kusal, you withdrew from Pakistan Super League to play for Gujarat Titans midway through the tournament, and you cited security concerns. Now, the Pakistan Super League is giving you respect again and they did not pick

you again. So, do you have any regret about withdrawing from Pakistan Super League last year?”

Caught off guard, Kusal Mendis responded with an awkward laugh, clearly not expecting such a question in a post-match setting. As the atmosphere grew tense, the media manager quickly intervened, reminding reporters to keep their questions focused on the PSL and the match. The journalist, however, remained adament, “It is a PSL question” attempting to justify the query.

Watch:

🚨 Journalist – “Last year you withdrew from the PSL to play IPL midway of the tournament. This year they didn’t pick you. Don’t you have any regrets for leaving PSL”?

– Kusal Mendis remained silent. pic.twitter.com/k0B2GjCMsG

— Abdullah. (@Abdullahh_56) April 11, 2026

Mendis chose not to engage further and remained silent as the press conference moved on.

PSL vs IPL Controversy

The moment highlighted the ongoing debate around players switching between leagues like the PSL and the IPL, especially when both tournaments overlap in their schedules.

In 2025, Mendis had left Quetta Gladiators midway through the PSL, citing security concerns and later joined Gujarat Titans as a replacement for Jos Buttler during the IPL playoffs. He featured in just one match, which ended in defeat, and was later released before the IPL 2026 auction, where he went unsold.

Returning to the PSL this season with Peshawar Zalmi, Mendis has been in outstanding form. He currently leads the run charts with 241 runs at an impressive average of 60.25.