Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka has been officially ruled out of the upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan after failing to recover sufficiently from a left hamstring injury. The injury was originally sustained during Sri Lanka’s demanding limited-overs tour of England earlier in the season.
Nissanka’s place in the 16-member squad for the tri-series had initially been subject to fitness evaluations by the team’s medical staff. However, with the tournament fast approaching, the decision has been made to withdraw the prolific batsman to prevent any further aggravation of the left hamstring issue.
In Nissanka’s absence, the Sri Lankan team management has called up Lahiru Udara as a direct replacement. Udara, a 32-year-old top-order batsman, has already represented Sri Lanka across five Test matches and seven T20 Internationals, but he is yet to make his formal debut in the One-Day International format.
The upcoming tri-series presents a significant opportunity for Udara to firmly embed himself at the top level of white-ball cricket. His inclusion follows a period of mixed fortunes in the national setup. Notably, Udara had recently been dropped from Sri Lanka’s Test squad for their forthcoming series against Pakistan, a decision that generated considerable discussion among cricket analysts and fans alike. That Test ouster came despite Udara having scored a brilliant 188 against the West Indies in July. However, his red-ball form had dipped subsequently, failing to pass the 30-run mark in five subsequent Test innings.
Despite the challenges in the longer format, Udara’s explosive capabilities in white-ball cricket have kept him in the national selector’s focus. He recently delivered a scintillating performance during the first T20I against Pakistan, smashing 91 runs off just 55 deliveries. That innings stood out as Sri Lanka’s highest individual score of the series and played a decisive role in earning him this latest white-ball call-up. Across his 97 List A innings to date, Udara maintains a healthy batting average of 32.09, coupled with a solid strike rate of 85.97.
The loss of Pathum Nissanka, meanwhile, is a massive blow for a Sri Lankan side that has experienced a turbulent year in terms of momentum, particularly within the limited-overs formats. Nissanka has been one of the very few consistent pillars in the batting lineup. Among all Sri Lankan batsmen, only newly appointed captain Kusal Mendis has scored more runs than Nissanka in the ODI format since the beginning of 2024, with Nissanka accumulating 1,324 runs during this period. His absence robs the top order of stability, aggressive intent, and vast international experience.
Nissanka is now engaged in an intense race against time to regain full fitness ahead of the opening Test match against Pakistan, which is scheduled to get underway in Rawalpindi on November 9. The team’s medical and conditioning staff will be closely monitoring his rehabilitation program over the coming days to determine his availability for the red-ball fixtures.
The upcoming ODI tri-series, which features host nation Pakistan alongside England and Sri Lanka, is scheduled to kick off on Sunday. The tournament opener will see Pakistan lock horns with Sri Lanka, setting the stage for what promises to be a fiercely contested multi-nation competition in subcontinental conditions.
Comments (0)