Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka has joined an unfortunate list following his golden duck in the second ODI against India. Nissanka is now among the rare Sri Lankan batters who have been dismissed on the very first ball of an ODI against India, a list that includes Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga.
Despite this setback, Nissanka has been in outstanding form recently. He performed admirably in the first ODI and the T20Is leading up to this series. In the first ODI, he contributed a crucial 56 runs off 75 balls, hitting 9 fours while other Sri Lankan batters struggled.
During the T20I series, Nissanka was the top scorer with 137 runs across 3 matches, averaging 45.66 and striking at 138.38. Though Sri Lanka lost the series 3-0, Nissanka’s performance was a standout highlight.
Pathum Nissanka joins an unwanted list after his golden duck in the 2nd ODI vs India
Nissanka was expected to be Sri Lanka’s most important batter in the second ODI. His form has been impressive lately as he is the most consistent Sri Lankan batter at the moment.
But he was dismissed for a first-ball duck and he became the third Sri Lankan batter to be dismissed off the first ball of an ODI against India. Before Nissanka, great Sri Lankan batters like Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga were already on this list.
SL batter getting dismissed first ball of an ODI vs India:
S Jayasuriya 2002 (Zaheer Khan)
U Tharanga 2009 (Zaheer Khan)
U Tharanga 2010 (Praveen Kumar)
P Nissanka Colombo 2024 (Mohd Siraj)
Mohammed Siraj produces a beauty to dismiss Pathum Nissanka
Pathum Nissanka was dismissed for a golden duck in the match, and facing the first ball of an ODI proved challenging as anticipated. India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj delivered a well-placed delivery outside off-stump, which drew Nissanka into a shot. The ball later curved away, catching the edge and being safely caught by wicketkeeper KL Rahul, who made a diving catch to his right.
Previously, Sanath Jayasuriya was dismissed on the first ball by India’s left-arm quick Zaheer Khan in 2002. Upul Tharanga faced similar fate twice, first being dismissed by Zaheer Khan in 2009 and then by Praveen Kumar in 2010. Nissanka’s golden duck marks the fourth instance of a Sri Lankan batter getting out on the first ball of an ODI against India.
In this match, Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat once again. The pitch is expected to assist spin, presenting another tough challenge for Indian batters. The first ODI between these teams had ended in a dramatic tie, with Sri Lankan spinners showcasing their prowess and resilience.
