Pathum Nissanka IPL stats begin with a debut season that was a long time coming. For years the Sri Lankan opener was one of the most complete T20 batters without an IPL contract, piling up international runs while franchises looked elsewhere. Delhi Capitals ended that wait at the IPL 2026 mega auction, paying Rs 4.00 crore for his services, and Nissanka repaid the faith with the bat: 278 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 158.86, with two half-centuries and a highest score of 62.
His best night came in Jaipur on 1 May 2026, when he struck 62 off 33 balls in Delhi’s chase of 226 against Rajasthan Royals, sharing a 102-run opening stand with KL Rahul in a seven-wicket win. It was the kind of innings that showed exactly why Delhi had bid for him: clean striking, no panic, and the tempo of a man who has opened in World Cups. Now, with the IPL 2027 retention deadline set for 15 November 2026, the question is whether the Capitals keep their Sri Lankan opener for a second season.
Pathum Nissanka IPL Stats Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Pathum Nissanka |
| IPL Debut | 2026 (Delhi Capitals) |
| Role | Opening batter |
| Batting Style | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Right-arm (rarely bowls) |
| Current IPL Team | Delhi Capitals |
| IPL Matches | 10 |
| IPL Runs | 278 |
| Highest Score | 62 (vs RR, 2026) |
| IPL 2027 Team | Not officially confirmed |
| IPL 2027 Price | Not officially confirmed |
Who Is Pathum Nissanka?
Pathum Nissanka was born on 18 May 1998 in Galle, Sri Lanka. A right-handed opening batter, he has been the foundation of Sri Lanka’s batting across formats since his international debut in March 2021, when he scored a century on Test debut against West Indies in Antigua, becoming only the fourth Sri Lankan to do so and the first to achieve it away from home.
In white-ball cricket he has set records for his country. His unbeaten 210 against Afghanistan in 2024 made him the first Sri Lankan to score an ODI double-hundred, and he is Sri Lanka’s leading run-scorer in T20 internationals, with two T20I centuries to his name. His form at the 2026 T20 World Cup underlined his standing in the shortest format, and he was named Sri Lanka Cricket’s Men’s Cricketer of the Year for 2025. Before 2026, despite this pedigree, he had never played in the IPL.
Pathum Nissanka IPL Teams
| Season | Team | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Delhi Capitals | Auction buy for Rs 4.00 crore |
| 2027 | Not officially confirmed | Retention deadline 15 November 2026 |
Nissanka has played for only one IPL franchise. Delhi Capitals signed him at the IPL 2026 mega auction after a bidding contest with Kolkata Knight Riders, taking him at Rs 4.00 crore from a base price of Rs 75 lakh. It was his maiden IPL contract, arriving at the age of 28 after five years of international cricket.
Pathum Nissanka IPL 2024 Stats
Nissanka did not play in the IPL in 2024. He had no IPL contract that season and was not part of any franchise squad.
Pathum Nissanka IPL 2025 Stats
Nissanka did not play in the IPL in 2025 either. He entered the IPL for the first time at the mega auction ahead of the 2026 season.
Pathum Nissanka IPL 2026 Stats
| Mat | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 50s | 100s | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 278 | 62 | 27.80 | 158.86 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 12 |
Nissanka’s maiden IPL season was a solid one. Ten matches brought 278 runs at 27.80, but the number that mattered was the strike rate of 158.86: he scored quickly from the start, hitting 33 fours and 12 sixes. His debut, on 1 April 2026 against Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Stadium, was forgettable (1 off 5 balls, dismissed by Prince Yadav), but he settled quickly after that.
The standout innings was the 62 off 33 against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, his maiden IPL fifty, compiled with 6 fours and 3 sixes in a record chase of 226. His final appearance of the season came in May 2026 against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where he made 50 off 29 balls. Two half-centuries in ten games, both at better than a run and a half a ball, was a return Delhi could work with.
Pathum Nissanka IPL 2027 Stats
IPL 2027 statistics are not available yet because the season has not started. The IPL 2027 mini auction is expected in December 2026, and the player retention deadline is 15 November 2026. As of now, there is no official confirmation from Delhi Capitals on whether Nissanka has been retained or released. His 2027 team and price will be confirmed after the retention deadline and the auction.
Pathum Nissanka IPL 2027 Team and Price
Nissanka played the 2026 season for Delhi Capitals at a confirmed price of Rs 4.00 crore, bought at the IPL 2026 mega auction. This was his first and only IPL contract so far. Whether Delhi Capitals retain him for IPL 2027 is not officially confirmed yet. If he is released, he will enter the December mini auction, where an international opener with a debut-season strike rate of 158.86 could attract interest from teams hunting top-order firepower. For context on how these decisions are shaped, see the IPL 2027 retention deadline and purse guide and the IPL 2027 mini auction explained.
Pathum Nissanka IPL Career Batting Stats
| Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10 | 278 | 62 | 27.80 | 158.86 | 0 | 2 | 33 | 12 |
With a single IPL season behind him, Nissanka’s career numbers and his 2026 numbers are the same: 278 runs from 10 innings, all of them as an opener, with no not-outs. He also took 2 catches in the field during the 2026 season.
Pathum Nissanka IPL Stats by Year
| Season | Team | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 50s | 100s | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | DC | 10 | 10 | 278 | 62 | 27.80 | 158.86 | 2 | 0 | – | – |
Pathum Nissanka IPL Highest Score
Nissanka’s highest IPL score is 62, made off 33 balls for Delhi Capitals against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on 1 May 2026. Chasing 226, he and KL Rahul put on 102 for the first wicket in 9.3 overs, with Nissanka reaching his maiden IPL fifty before falling to Sandeep Sharma attempting a reverse sweep. Rahul finished on 75, and Delhi completed the chase in 19.1 overs for a seven-wicket win.
Pathum Nissanka IPL Batting Records
- 62 off 33 balls vs RR (2026) — his maiden IPL fifty, in Delhi’s successful chase of 226, one of the biggest successful chases in the franchise’s history.
- 102-run opening stand with KL Rahul in that Jaipur chase, setting the platform for the win.
- 158.86 strike rate across his debut IPL season, the mark of an opener who attacks from ball one.
- First Sri Lankan to score an ODI double-hundred (210* vs Afghanistan, 2024) — an international record that frames his batting pedigree.
- Century on Test debut (2021 vs West Indies) — the fourth Sri Lankan to achieve it, and the first away from home.
Pathum Nissanka IPL Auction Price History
| Season | Team | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Delhi Capitals | Rs 4.00 crore | Auction |
| 2027 | Not officially confirmed | – | Retention deadline 15 November 2026 |
Nissanka has been through one IPL auction. Delhi Capitals beat Kolkata Knight Riders to his signature at the IPL 2026 mega auction, paying Rs 4.00 crore against a base price of Rs 75 lakh. There is no earlier auction history because 2026 was his first entry into the IPL pool.
Pathum Nissanka IPL Records and Achievements
- Maiden IPL contract at the IPL 2026 mega auction, signed by Delhi Capitals for Rs 4.00 crore.
- Maiden IPL fifty: 62 off 33 balls against Rajasthan Royals, 1 May 2026, in a seven-wicket win chasing 226.
- 50 off 29 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders in May 2026, his final match of the season.
- Sri Lanka’s leading run-scorer in T20 internationals, with two T20I centuries.
- Named Sri Lanka Cricket’s Men’s Cricketer of the Year for 2025.
Pathum Nissanka’s IPL Performance Analysis
One season is a small sample, but Nissanka’s 2026 numbers describe a clear type of player. The average of 27.80 is modest; the strike rate of 158.86 is elite for an opener. He was not dismissed cheaply because he was struggling for timing — his boundary count (33 fours, 12 sixes in 10 innings) shows a batter trying to dominate the powerplay, which is exactly the job Delhi bought him to do.
The pattern of his two fifties is instructive. Both came in chases, and both came at better than 170 strike rate, which suggests a player whose game lifts when the target is in front of him. The concern for Delhi is the other eight innings: an opener who averages under 28 needs those explosive knocks to be frequent enough to justify the overseas slot, especially with Ben Duckett and Prithvi Shaw competing for the same opening positions in the squad.
Set against his international record, the IPL debut looks like a beginning rather than a verdict. A batter who has scored a Test hundred on debut, an ODI double-hundred, and two T20I hundreds has the technique for any format; the question for 2027, whether at Delhi under Axar Patel or elsewhere, is whether he can turn those rapid starts into more regular fifties. His established opening partner in the big chase, KL Rahul, and middle-order support from David Miller gave Delhi’s 2026 top order its shape; Nissanka’s role in it was the aggressor, and the strike rate says he played it well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which team does Pathum Nissanka play for in the IPL?
Pathum Nissanka played for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026, his debut season, bought at the mega auction for Rs 4.00 crore. His IPL 2027 team is not officially confirmed yet, as the retention deadline is 15 November 2026.
How many runs has Pathum Nissanka scored in the IPL?
Pathum Nissanka has scored 278 runs in 10 IPL matches, all in the 2026 season, at an average of 27.80 and a strike rate of 158.86, with two half-centuries.
What is Pathum Nissanka’s highest IPL score?
His highest IPL score is 62, made off 33 balls for Delhi Capitals against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on 1 May 2026, in a successful chase of 226.
What was Pathum Nissanka’s price in the IPL 2026 auction?
Delhi Capitals bought Pathum Nissanka for Rs 4.00 crore at the IPL 2026 mega auction, from a base price of Rs 75 lakh, beating competition from Kolkata Knight Riders.
When did Pathum Nissanka make his IPL debut?
He made his IPL debut on 1 April 2026 for Delhi Capitals against Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Stadium, Lucknow, scoring 1 run off 5 balls.
Has Pathum Nissanka scored an IPL century?
No. His highest IPL score is 62, and he has two IPL half-centuries. He does have two centuries in T20 internationals for Sri Lanka.
Is Pathum Nissanka retained by Delhi Capitals for IPL 2027?
Not officially confirmed. Delhi Capitals have not announced their retention decisions yet, and the IPL 2027 retention deadline is 15 November 2026.
Sources and Data Notes
Statistics in this article are compiled from the official IPL player profile (iplt20.com), season batting records (myKhel), auction reports from the IPL 2026 mega auction, and match reports from established cricket publications covering the 2026 season. Statistics and player information are checked against available reliable sources and may be updated as new IPL matches, transfers, or official announcements are confirmed.
Statistics updated through: 11 October 2026
