Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka has been officially ruled out of the upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan after failing to recover in time from a left hamstring injury. The injury was originally sustained earlier during Sri Lanka’s limited-overs tour of England, dealing a notable blow to the team’s batting depth as they prepare for a challenging international stretch in the subcontinent.
Nissanka’s initial inclusion in the 16-member squad for the tri-series was subject to a late fitness test, but medical assessments confirmed that the opening batter has not sufficiently recovered from the setback. In his absence, selectors have called up Lahiru Udara as a direct replacement. While Udara brings international experience with five Test matches and seven T20I appearances under his belt, he is yet to make his official debut in the One-Day International format.
The upcoming tri-series, which features hosts Pakistan alongside Sri Lanka and England, is scheduled to begin on Sunday with a high-profile opening match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The tournament serves as a crucial testing ground for all three participating nations as they fine-tune their white-ball squads and strategies.
For the 32-year-old Lahiru Udara, the call-up represents a significant opportunity to establish himself at the top level of ODI cricket, particularly after being left out of the Test squad for the forthcoming series against Pakistan. Udara’s omission from the red-ball setup had generated considerable discussion among cricket analysts, given his impressive double-century performance of 188 against the West Indies back in July. However, that landmark innings was followed by a lean patch where he failed to pass the thirty-run mark in his subsequent five Test innings, leading to his eventual exclusion.
Despite his recent red-ball struggles, Udara’s explosive white-ball form has kept him firmly in national contention. He recently delivered a scintillating performance against Pakistan, smashing 91 runs off just 55 deliveries in the first T20I of the series. That knock stands as the highest individual score by a Sri Lankan batter during the series, showcasing his aggressive capability at the top of the order and ultimately convincing the selection panel to reward him with a wider white-ball opportunity. Across his 97 List A innings in domestic and professional cricket, Udara maintains a solid batting average of 32.09, accompanied by a brisk strike rate of 85.97.
The loss of Pathum Nissanka, meanwhile, presents a formidable challenge for a Sri Lankan team that has openly sought greater consistency and momentum throughout the year, particularly in limited-ball formats. Nissanka has been one of the undisputed anchors of the batting lineup. Among all Sri Lankan batters, only newly appointed captain Kusal Mendis has accumulated more runs than Nissanka’s impressive tally of 1,324 ODI runs since the start of 2024. His absence leaves a noticeable void at the top of the order, robbing the team of an experienced player capable of anchoring the innings against quality bowling attacks.
With the tri-series underway, Nissanka’s immediate focus shifts toward rehabilitation. The talented opener is now in a race against time to regain full fitness ahead of the opening Test match of the tour against Pakistan, which is scheduled to get underway in Rawalpindi on November 9. The Sri Lankan medical team will be monitoring his recovery closely, hoping to have their premier batter back on the field for the longer format of the game.
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