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Sri Lanka national cricket team’s star opener Pathum Nissanka has opted out of the upcoming Lanka Premier League 2026 (LPL 2026). Pathum Nissanka’s main priority is to remain available for national duty, for which he decided to focus on recovering from a long-standing hand injury.
Nissanka has been playing almost non-stop cricket over the past year, including international matches and franchise commitments, including the IPL 2026. The hectic schedule has started to take a toll on his body, and now he has decided to take a break from the game to focus on recovery.
Big setback for LPL as Pathum Nissanka opts out ahead of season
On June 1, Pathum Nissanka has decided to skip the upcoming Lanka Premier League 2026 (LPL 2026), starting on July 19. The star opener has taken this call to focus on recovering from a long-standing injury and to manage his workload better.
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However, Nissanka was not picked as a direct signing for the upcoming LPL 2026, but he was available for selection. But it is now confirmed that the Sri Lankan star will not take part in the tournament and will instead spend time on treatment and rehabilitation.
He wants to avoid any further injury risk. His management has made it clear that the main goal is to get the batter fully fit for Sri Lanka’s upcoming big series against India and England. He is scheduled to undergo hand surgery during the first week of July.
Pathum Nissanka’s manager, Asanka Wijewardena, was quoted as saying by Newswire, “Our priority is playing for Sri Lanka, so we have decided to use this period to ensure he recovers fully ahead of the important series against India and England.”
Pathum Nissanka shines in IPL debut season for Delhi Capitals
Meanwhile, Pathum Nissanka had a strong debut season in the IPL 2026 after being picked by Delhi Capitals for ₹4 crore. The Sri Lankan opener made his mark at the top of the order with fearless batting and gave the Delhi Capitals solid starts.
In 10 matches, Nissanka scored 278 runs at a very good strike rate of 158.86. He also hit two half-centuries and finished as the second-highest run scorer for Delhi Capitals this season. His best knock came against Rajasthan Royals, where he smashed 62 runs off just 33 balls.
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Pathum Nissanka’s international numbers
On the other hand, Nissanka has now become one of the most reliable top-order batters for Sri Lanka across all three formats since making his international debut in 2021. In a short span of time, he has become a key player for Sri Lanka in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is with consistent performances.
In Test cricket, Nissanka has played 18 matches and scored 1,305 runs at an average of 45.00, including 4 centuries and 7 half-centuries. He has so far played 77 ODIs and made 2,920 runs at an average of 40.56, with 7 centuries and 18 fifties to his name.
In T20 Internationals, the explosive opener has played 91 matches and scored 2,648 runs at a strike rate of 128.67. He has also scored 2 centuries and 19 fifties in the shortest format.
