Sri Lankan cricket found a new hero on Friday when Pathum Nissanka scored his double century. The right-handed batter scored 210 not out of just 139 deliveries in Pallekele during the 1st ODI.
On the back of this innings, Sri Lanka posted a massive score of 381 from their 50 overs. It is a welcome relief for Sri Lankan cricket which has been in the doldrums for a while now. The beleaguered cricket team is looking to bounce back from the last few miserable months it encountered.
In this article, we cast a closer look at the top three records set by Pathum Nissanka
#1. First Sri Lankan to score an ODI double century –
Young Sri Lankan batting sensation, Pathum Nissanka became the 1st Sri Lankan batter to score 200 in ODI cricket. India has five players who have reached the mark, with the last being Shubman Gill.
Pakistan has one batter while Chris Gayle and Martin Guptill make up the other players in the list. Fakhar Zaman scored 210 versus Zimbabwe during an ODI in 2018 at the Bulawayo Sports Club. The feats of Chris Gayle and Martin Guptill came during the 2015 ODI World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
#2. First ever ODI double century scored on Sri Lankan soil –
Interestingly this is the first ever ODI Double century to be scored in Sri Lankan soil. The previous best was by Kumar Sangakkara who had scored 169. That knock came in Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium versus South Africa in 2013.
During his knock of 210, Pathum Nissanka also went past the highest score in Pallekele. Ibrahim Zadran with 162 held the previous highest score in Pallekele. That innings came against Sri Lanka in 2022 in a high-scoring contest.
#3. Highest individual ODI score by a Sri Lankan –
Former Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya’s 189 versus India stood the test of time. The left-handed batter had scored these runs in Sharjah in late 2000. After 23 years and three months, the record was finally broken.
The closest anyone came to breaking the record was Upul Tharanga a former opening partner of Jayasuriya. The left-handed batter had scored 174 against India during the 2013 Tri-series game in Jamaica. Kumar Sangakkara with 169 and T. Dilshan with 161* were the next highest scorers.
