Flower seller’s son to T20 World Cup hero: Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka’s remarkable rise

Dubai: On Monday night, Pathum Nissanka rose to the occasion against Australia, smashing the first century of the 2026 T20 World Cup and propelling Sri Lanka into the Super 8s. The innings at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium — a breathtaking 52-ball hundred featuring ten fours and five sixes — was a showcase of elegant stroke play and precise execution, leaving the cricketing world in admiration.

The 27-year-old’s journey to the top has been anything but easy. Years ago, his first school cricket contract was signed at Kalutara Bodiya, the temple where his mother sold flowers to support the family. Determined to nurture the young prodigy from Kalutara, a school coach Pradeep Nishantha struggled to locate Nissanka’s modest government-built home, one of many constructed for families affected by the tsunami.

Unable to find the house, he called Pathum’s parents to meet him at the temple. It was there that Nissanka’s admission papers to Isipatana College were signed — a remarkable moment for a boy whose parents had little formal education.

“Not too sure whether any other child has signed his admission papers at Kalutara Bodiya. This is the greatest blessing you can get. You will have a bright future,” Nishantha later told The Island newspaper.

Nissanka’s father worked as a groundsman at the Kalutara Esplanade cricket ground, preparing pitches where other youngsters chased their dreams. His own dream was simple yet distant — to see his son play cricket in Colombo, the heart of Sri Lanka’s cricketing ambitions.

Tough journey

Even after earning admission to school in Colombo, financial challenges persisted. Living expenses weighed heavily on the family until unexpected support arrived. A friend of Nishantha convinced his company to sponsor the promising cricketer with a monthly allowance. Their faith was rewarded when Nissanka scored a century on his Test debut in the West Indies. Before that tour, the florist who had quietly backed him also gifted him Rs250,000 (approximately Dh3,000).

Speaking through translator Jehan Mubarak, Nissanka remained characteristically modest. “The wicket was pretty good today and I played my normal game,” he said, downplaying the magnitude of becoming the tournament’s first centurion.

“I had a big target to hit a 100 in this World Cup, so I’m happy I was able to do that,” he added. “We had played a match on this wicket, and we knew it was good for batting. Because Kusal and I batted well, Australia couldn’t bowl so well to us.”