In a Sri Lankan Test side in transition, one man continues to stand tall quietly, and that is Pathum Nissanka. The 27-year-old opener added yet another gem, bringing up his fourth Test century on Day 2 of the second Test against Bangladesh at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo. It was his second successive ton in the series, confirming why he’s now being hailed as “Sri Lanka’s Mr Consistent”.
Pathum Nissanka’s masterclass in Colombo
Coming in on the back of a career-best 187 in Galle, Nissanka picked up right where he left off. After Sri Lanka bowled out Bangladesh for 247, he anchored the reply with intent. An 88-run opening stand with Lahiru Udara set the tone, and when the latter fell to Taijul Islam, Nissanka found a reliable ally in Dinesh Chandimal.
Together, they took the hosts past the 200-run mark with ease. Nissanka’s century came in the third session, reaching 167 deliveries. He didn’t get into a mould, but rather continued to punish poor deliveries.
Since making his Test debut in 2021, no Sri Lankan batter has scored more runs than Nissanka. In just 18 matches, he has compiled 1,247 runs at an average over 40, with four centuries and seven fifties to his name. His calm at the crease, especially against the new ball, has made him a vital pillar in Sri Lanka’s top order. Interestingly, this was only his second Test century at home—both of which have come against Bangladesh—while two have come on challenging overseas tours.
Beyond red-ball cricket, Nissanka’s numbers across formats in the past year puts him among elite openers. Since 2024, he is the only player to score 500+ runs across all three formats.
- Tests: 660 runs @ 55 average
- ODIs: 780 runs @ 49 average, 105 strike rate
- T20Is: 636 runs @ 35 average, 138 strike rate
Most runs for Sri Lanka since Nissanka’s debut
| Player | Innings | Runs | HS | Average | SR | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | 158 | 5500 | 210* | 37.41 | 85.21 | 10 | 37 |
| Kusal Mendis | 161 | 5349 | 245 | 36.38 | 86.89 | 6 | 36 |
| Charith Asalanka | 128 | 3709 | 127 | 33.11 | 99.38 | 4 | 21 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 125 | 3670 | 166 | 32.19 | 68.80 | 6 | 18 |
| Dimuth Karunaratne | 78 | 3198 | 244 | 43.21 | 60.26 | 7 | 21 |
