Anubhav Katheria
The Sri Lankan star opener Pathum Nissanka is having a great success in ODIs this year and has emerged as an upcoming great for Sri Lankan cricket. He scored 56 runs against India in the first ODI, he was the only batsmen who was holding wicket at one side and scoring runs.
Nissanka has been a consistent performer for Sri Lanka this year, in 2024 Nissanka has played 6 ODI matches for SL where he has scored 2 centuries and 1 double century. Nissanka has played 55 ODI matches in which he has scored 2225 runs with an average of 44.50 and a magnificent strike rate of 90.96, he has 6 centuries, 13 half centuries to his name, his highest score being 210*.
However, this year in T20, Nissanka has played 12 matches where he has scored only 2 half centuries which includes 60* and 79 runs. Nissanka’s scores against India in the recently concluded T20I series were 79, 32 and 26 with an average of 45.67, his strike rate was 138.38, these stats are slightly better as compared to the other SL batters. He has played 55 matches in T20, he has scored 1418 runs with an average of 28.36, he has 11 centuries to his name in the format.
Nissanka is a little uncomfortable playing spin bowling, in the T20 series against India he gave wicket to spinners in all the 3 matches, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi and Washington Sundar were the spinners he gave wicket to, even in the 1st ODI against India Washington Sundar got Nissanka’s wicket.
While Nissanka plays the fast bowler well, he judges the ball well, he picks up the length early and is very comfortable playing a pacer but on the other hand he has some issues while facing spinners. Nissanka is the only in form batter in the current SL ODI squad, he can be a threat to the Indian team, so the task is for the Indian spinners to restrict him from scoring runs and get his wicket early.
