Pathum Nissanka smokes maiden ODI fifty versus New Zealand: Stats
What's the story
Sri Lanka batting sensation Pathum Nissanka scored a half-century against the odds in the third and final ODI versus New Zealand. The right-handed opener batted valiantly and ended up scoring 57 off 64 deliveries. His knock was laced with eight boundaries and a solitary six. Notably, this was Nissanka's sixth half-century in ODI cricket. Here we look at his stats.
Knock
A crucial knock from Nissanka
Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat at the Seddon Park in Hamilton. The visitors were off to a disastrous start as besides Nissanka, none of their other top-five batters could touch double figures. Nissanka, however, put up a valiant show and helped his team touch the 100-run mark. Unfortunately for SL, he got run out after scoring 57.
Stats
A look at his ODI stats
Nissanka, who made his ODI debut in March 2021, has now raced to 715 runs in the format in 23 games. While his average reads 32.5, he strikes at 81.53. The tally includes six fifties and a solitary ton. Meanwhile, this was Nissanka's maiden ODI fifty versus the Kiwis. Notably, the 23-year-old mustered 491 runs in 11 ODIs in 2022 at 49.10.
WC Scenario
A high-stake game for Sri Lanka
SL are trailing 0-1 in the series, having lost the opening game by 198 runs. The Lankans need a victory to keep their hopes for direct qualification in the 2023 ODI World Cup alive. The top eight teams in the ICC ODI World Cup Super League will directly advance to the tournament in India. SL are currently ninth in the standings.