Dasun Shanaka becomes fourth SL batter with 2,000 T20I runs
What's the story
In a thrilling finish at Sabina Park, the West Indies pulled off a remarkable heist against Sri Lanka to win the T20I series. Chasing 170 runs in the third and final game, they were in trouble for most of the innings but managed to win by five wickets. The game saw former SL skipper Dasun Shanaka score 16 off 13 balls with the help of a four and a six. Though the knock was brief, it powered him past 2,000 T20I runs. Here are the key stats.
Knock
Brief stay for Shanaka
Shanaka, who batted at six, contributed with 16 runs before falling to Jason Holder. Player-of-the-Match Shamar Joseph delivered career-best figures of 5/33, excelling in the game's toughest phases. His brilliance restricted the Lankans to 169/10. Though WI's chase was far from smooth, they prevailed with two balls to spare.
Elite list
Shanaka joins these names
Playing his 134th T20I, Shanaka has raced to 2,008 runs at an average of 20.91, as his strike rate is 129.63. He has hit nine fifties. Pathum Nissanka (2,699), Kusal Mendis (2,694), and Kusal Perera (2,335) are the other Sri Lankans in the 2,000-run club. Notably, Shanaka is Sri Lanka's most-capped player in the T20I format. His tally of 112 T20I sixes is also the most for any Lankan player.
Stats
Dissecting his stats across conditions
600 of Shanaka's runs have come in home games at 18.18. He averages 24.86 in away T20Is, where he owns 945 runs. The dasher has tallied 463 runs in neutral T20Is at an average of 18.52. He led the Lankans in the 2021, 2022, and 2026 editions of the T20 World Cup. 1,148 of his T20I runs have come at a designated skipper (65 matches).