CWC Qualifiers: Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka completes 1,000 ODI runs
Jun 27, 2023
Bulawayo [Zimbabwe], June 27 : Sri Lanka batter Pathum Nissanka completed 1,000 runs in ODI cricket on Tuesday.
The batter accomplished this feat during his side's ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifiers match against Scotland in Bulawayo.
In the match, Nissanka smashed a valuable fifty, scoring 75 in 85 balls, with his knock having 10 fours.
In 30 ODIs, Nissanka has scored 1,036 runs at an average of 37.00. In 30 innings, he has scored one century and nine fifties, with the best score of 137.
With this win over Scotland, Lanka ends at the top of Group B with four wins in four games and a total of eight points. On the other hand, Scotland ends in second place with three wins and a loss in four matches, which combines to a total of six points.
Chasing 246 set by one-time champions, Scotland lost their wickets at regular intervals and were reduced to 99/7 in 20.5 overs.
Christopher McBride (29) and skipper Richie Berrington (10) were the only players from the top/middle-order to touch double figures. Sri Lankan spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Theekshana did the majority of the damage, including some help from skipper Dasun Shanaka, Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara.
A 55-run stand between Chris Greaves (56 in 41 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Chris Sole (17) kept Scotland's hopes alive temporarily, but the experience of the former champions was just too much.
Scotland was bundled out for 163 in just 29 overs.
Theekshana (3/41) and Hasaranga (2/42) were the picks of the bowlers for SL.
Earlier, put to bat first, SL could manage only 245 runs in 49.3 overs.
Pathum Nissanka (75 in 85 balls, with 10 fours) and Charith Asalanka (63 in 65 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) slammed valuable half-centuries. Nissanka had a 55-run stand for the third wicket with Sadeera Samarawickrama (26) and then Asalanka had a 61-run fifth-wicket stand with Dhananjaya de Silva (23) that took Lanka to a 200-plus score.
Hasaranga (15) and Theekshana (16*) contributed some valuable runs down the order.
Chris Greaves (4/32) and Mark Watt (3/52) were among the leading wicket-takers for Scotland.
Theekshana was given the 'Player of the Match' award for his performance.
