Former Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur firmly rejects claims that he opposed Pathum Nissanka’s selection, crediting the batsman’s rise entirely to performance, discipline, and earned opportunity.
Former Sri Lanka head coach Mickey Arthur and former Chairman of the Selection Committee Pramodya Wickramasinghe have strongly rejected a recent claim regarding the selection of Pathum Nissanka for the 2021 Caribbean tour.
Wickramasinghe had alleged that Arthur, who was serving as head coach at the time, was opposed to including Pathum Nissanka in the touring squad. Responding to this claim during a discussion with Asia Sports Channel, Mickey Arthur categorically denied the allegation and emphasized that Pathum Nissanka’s success should be fully credited to the player’s own commitment and hard work.
Arthur stated that Nissanka’s selection to the national team was unavoidable due to his exceptional performances in domestic cricket. He explained that Pathum’s consistency and temperament at the domestic level clearly justified national selection, and that he personally recognized the player’s potential and supported giving him the opportunity he deserved.
Reflecting on Nissanka’s journey, Arthur highlighted how the right hander made an immediate impact by scoring a century on his Test debut in the West Indies. Since then, Pathum Nissanka has developed into one of the most reliable and technically sound batsmen in the Sri Lankan team.
Excelling across all three formats of cricket, Nissanka made history by becoming the first Sri Lankan cricketer to score a double century in One Day International cricket. His rise has been further underlined by his current position at third place in the ICC T20I batting rankings.
Adding to his growing stature, Pathum Nissanka was bought by Delhi Capitals for an impressive INR 4 crore at the 2026 Indian Premier League player auction, cementing his status as one of Sri Lanka’s premier modern era batsmen.
