Pathum Nissanka Climbs Three Spots to World No. 3 in T20I Batting

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka has surged three places to World No. 3 in the latest ICC Men’s T20I batting rankings following a stunning World Cup performance that reaffirmed his status as one of the format’s most impactful batters. 

The ranking boost comes on the back of Nissanka’s explosive 52‑ball century against Australia in Kandy on February 16, a match‑defining innings that powered Sri Lanka to an emphatic eight‑wicket victory and secured their place in the Super Eights. 
The knock, featuring five sixes and 10 fours, made Nissanka the first centurion of the 2026 T20 World Cup and the first Sri Lankan to record two T20I hundreds. 

With this performance, Nissanka climbed to 786 rating points, overtaking India’s Tilak Varma and Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan to break into the top three. Only India’s Abhishek Sharma, who leads with 891 points, and England’s Phil Salt currently sit above him.