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Star pacer Matheesha Pathirana stormed into the record books by becoming the Sri Lankan fast bowler with the most wickets in a single bilateral T20I series. Matheesha Pathirana achieved this towering feat during Sri Lanka's dramatic defeat against Afghanistan in the third T20I on Wednesday, February 21. During the series against Afghanistan, Pathirana claimed eight wickets across three matches, boasting an economy rate of 8.
Pathirana breaks Malinga's record
This achievement saw Pathirana surpass the previous record held by the iconic Lasith Malinga, who took 7 wickets in three matches against New Zealand in 2019. Other notable performances include Nuwan Pradeep's 7 wickets against Pakistan in 2019 and Dushmantha Chameera's similar haul against Australia in 2022.
In the series-concluding T20I against Afghanistan at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Pathirana's performance included two wickets for 42 runs in 4 overs. His key dismissals included Azmatullah Omarzai and Karim Janat. Despite Sri Lanka's series win with a 2-1 margin, they fell short in the final match, losing by 3 runs. The team was unable to reach the challenging target of 210, even with significant contributions from Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis who both scored half-centuries.
Pathirana's bowling prowess on display
During the opening T20I at the same location, Pathirana, who represents CSK in IPL, delivered an outstanding performance with figures of 4-0-24-4, capturing the key wickets of Omarzai, Noor Ahmad, and Naveen-ul-Haq. His spell was crucial in limiting Afghanistan to 156 for 9, leading Sri Lanka to a narrow victory by 4 runs.
Looking forward, Pathirana has his sights set on contributing significantly to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the upcoming 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Last season, Pathirana was tasked with bowling during the crucial death overs, a role he fulfilled commendably for CSK under Dhoni's leadership. Despite occasional inconsistency, he consistently took wickets at crucial moments.
Having made his T20 debut in 2021, Pathirana has since taken 55 wickets in 40 matches, including a best performance of a four-wicket haul.
Talking about the match, Afghanistan secured a narrow 3-run victory over Sri Lanka in the third T20I in Dambulla, claiming a consolation win in the series. Despite the victory, Sri Lanka, the hosts, missed the opportunity for a series clean sweep. The Sri Lankan team fell short in their chase of the hefty 210-run target, ending their innings at 206/6.
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