Nissanka’s talent was too big not to crack the T20I format.
Sri Lanka have been one of the most improved T20I sides in the last year or so. Even if they haven’t won too many games, their intent as a batting unit has taken a notable shift, and they try to bat quicker and maximise each delivery. While every batter has worked towards it, Pathum Nissanka has seen the best rise and has been the main reason for a revamped approach.
Sri Lanka have always had high hopes for Nissanka, and rightly so. He has been their best talent in recent years, with a ceiling higher than almost everyone else around the setup. He also gave glimpses of his best in patches, at least in the two longer formats.
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But in T20Is, despite occasional brilliance, he didn’t pick up in the initial years. He batted with a tepid approach and was still inconsistent. From his debut in 2021 to 2023, Nissanka scored 1098 runs at a meagre average of 27.45 and a strike rate of 112.15 in 41 T20I outings, including nine fifties.
Among all batters to score at least 500 runs in this phase, Nissanka’s strike rate was the fourth-worst among current top 10 T20I teams. On average, he took 7.76 balls per boundary. In this phase, Sri Lanka’s top eight batters, barring Nissanka, collectively struck at 118.71 and hit a boundary every 7.37 deliveries, both not too high but still better than the batter.
The biggest issue was his intent at the start, for the premium batter was among the slowest starters and didn’t maximise the powerplay. In the mentioned phase, Nissanka had a strike rate of 101.75 and a balls-per-boundary ratio of 7.42 in the first six overs. Additionally, he played 48.4% of dot balls and had a strike rate of less than 100 in two of the three initial years.
Of all batters from top 10 teams with at least 300 powerplay deliveries, his strike rate and balls-per-boundary were the second-worst, only after Mohammad Naim’s 94.34 and 8.24, respectively. In the first 10 balls, Nissanka struck at a mere 88.30 and played 54.76% dot balls. No wonder Sri Lanka were the second-slowest powerplay scorer (108.16) in this phase.
Nissanka’s talent was too big not to crack the T20I format, even if he made a false start. He soon picked up in what was supposed to be his weakest suit. The improvement began even before Sanath Jayasuriya joined, but his involvement completely transformed him.
Since 2024, no other batter from full members has scored as many runs as Nissanka’s 902 at an average of 36.08 and a strike rate of 141.15 in 27 outings. He has also hit seven fifties. The balls-per-boundary ratio, which was around eight, has reduced to 4.87, and he now plays only 37.87% dot balls.
Among all Sri Lankan batters with at least 10 innings since 2024, Nissanka’s average and strike rate are second and third-best, respectively. The player with the highest average, Angelo Mathews (44.66), is no longer part of the setup. At this moment, Nissanka is Sri Lanka’s finest T20I batter.
Maybe he is still not among the quickest in the world, but that’s because of the conditions he plays in. In the matches he has played, other batters in the top eight have collectively struck at 125.09 and found the fence every 6.66 deliveries. So, Nissanka has been the best from both teams in the larger context.
The biggest improvement has been in the powerplay, where, as mentioned above, he struggled the most. Since 2024, he has had a strike rate of 145.70 and a balls-per-boundary ratio of 4.30. His boundary-hitting ability has certainly improved massively.
The strike rate in the first 10 balls has risen to 125.49, and he has played 49.50% dot balls. Both have seen a significant rise, which explains why his powerplay numbers have also improved. For instance, in the Asia Cup 2025 fixture against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka lost an early wicket, and Nissanka was constantly trying to maintain a decent scoring rate and paced the innings really well.
The difference is also visible in Sri Lanka’s tempo, for they have scored 8.13 runs per over since 2024, compared to 7.41 from Nissanka’s debut to 2023. Even the powerplay strike rate has surged to 127.87. Sri Lanka remain a progressing T20I side, and Nissanka has been the driving force behind their fresh and progressive style of play.
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