The pair features the second-highest run-getter of Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2026.
Sri Lanka have missed finishing off the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on a high by a whisker. Chasing a massive total of 213 against Pakistan, the team were 85/3 halfway through the game. But a crucial 61-run partnership off only 33 deliveries between captain Dasun Shanaka (76* off 31) and youngster Pavan Rathnayake shifted the momentum towards the co-hosts.
While answering if there were any young players in the Sri Lankan squad who had caught the skippers’ attention, Shanaka mentioned two young guns, Rathnayake and Dunith Wellalage, as having impressed him the most.
“Yes, one and only Pavan Rathnayake. He has been consistent, using the crease very well, very positive sign for Sri Lankan cricket. We do have Wellalage as well, they are growing, so hopefully, they will have bright future ahead,” stated the skipper in the post-match presentation.
The 23-year-old Rathnayake has had a stellar outing in his maiden T20 World Cup, scoring 205 runs in seven matches, including a 37-ball 58 in the SL vs PAK fixture. He is also the second-highest run-scorer for them in the tournament. On the other hand, Wellalage was also instrumental in the Lankan’s home T20 World Cup campaign, snaring eight wickets in seven appearances at an economy of 7.22.
However, captain Shanaka also acknowledged the last two brilliant deliveries from Pakistan’s pace spearhead, Shaheen Shah Afridi. After hitting a boundary and three successive sixes off the bowler in the final over, he could not score six more runs in the final two balls, as Sri Lanka just fell short of a huge run chase.
“I would have finished, but well bowled to Shaheen. It’s been a tough campaign for us, we had few injuries, we dissaopointed the crowd, I want to say sorry to all these fans. Unfortunately, we fell short because of those injuries, otherwise probably we could have made it to the semi-final,” he added.
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The co-hosts of the T20 World Cup 2026 were expected to put up a much better show, especially after their dominating eight-wicket victory over Australia in the stage. But since then, the side failed to capitalise in key moments and ended up losing four matches on the trot, making yet another early exit from an ICC event.
Their losing run had begun against Zimbabwe in the league stage, as the dark horses defeated them by six wickets to top the Group B standings. Even after an excellent bowling display helped restrict England to only 146 runs in their first clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eights, Sri Lanka were folded for just 95 runs.
A similar story continued in their fixture against New Zealand, when they leaked runs after reducing the opponents to 98/6 in 16 overs. This was followed by another underwhelming display with the bat, as the Black Caps’ spinners snatched the game away from the side.
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