Pathum Nissanka: Sri Lanka’s Batting Prodigy on a Tear

Pathum Nissanka, Sri Lanka’s young batting sensation, is currently in red-hot form. On Friday, March 15th, he slammed a match-winning century against Bangladesh in the second ODI at Chattogram. This impressive feat marks his third hundred in just his last five ODI outings.

Nissanka Rewrites Sri Lankan Records

This latest century has propelled Nissanka to the top of the charts for Sri Lanka. He now boasts the highest average by a Sri Lankan player in ODIs, a staggering 45.38. 

Here’s a closer look at his dominant performance:

Match-winning knock: Chasing a target of 287, Nissanka anchored the Sri Lankan chase with a well-composed 114 off 113 balls. His knock included 13 boundaries and 3 sixes.

Building a Crucial Partnership: Sri Lanka found themselves in early trouble at 43/3. However, Nissanka stitched together a crucial 185-run partnership with Charith Asalanka (91) to lay the foundation for victory.

A Look at Nissanka’s Overall Stats

Nissanka’s brilliance isn’t a recent development. Since his debut in March 2021, he has consistently delivered:

Rapid Run Accumulation: In just 54 ODIs, Nissanka has amassed a remarkable 2,224 runs.

Century Maker: This latest ton is his sixth ODI century, adding to his impressive collection of 13 fifties.

Fastest to 2,000 Runs: Last month, Nissanka became the fastest Sri Lankan batsman to reach the 2,000-run mark in ODIs, achieving this feat in just 52 innings.

Double Hundred Hero: He also etched his name in history by becoming the first Sri Lankan batter to score a double century in ODIs, with a match-winning 210* against Afghanistan last month.

Dominating Across Venues

Nissanka’s success transcends boundaries. Here’s a breakdown of his performance across different venues:

Home Sweet Home: He thrives in familiar conditions, boasting an average of 53 with three tons and five fifties in 22 home ODIs.

Away from Home: While his away average dips slightly to 31.66, he has still managed two centuries and two fifties in 16 matches.

Neutral Venues: Nissanka proves his adaptability with a solid average of 49.21, including a century and six fifties in 16 matches at neutral venues.

Nissanka: A Leading Force in ODI Cricket for Sri Lanka 

Looking at the bigger picture, Nissanka’s dominance is undeniable:

Leading Run Scorer in 2023: Since the start of 2023, Nissanka has amassed a staggering 1,647 ODI runs at a phenomenal average of 54.90. No other batsman has scored more ODI runs in this period.

Surpassing Indian Prodigy: Even India’s Shubman Gill, another rising star, trails behind Nissanka with 1,584 runs in the same timeframe.

While his maiden fifty-plus score against Bangladesh came in the recent match, Nissanka has clearly established himself as a force to be reckoned with in ODI cricket. His consistent performances and record-breaking achievements solidify his position as a vital cog in Sri Lanka’s batting lineup.