Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 1st ODI: Pathum Nissanka created history as he became the first-ever Sri Lankan batter to smash a double hundred in ODI format.

Nissanka achieved the feat during the first ODI between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Friday, February 9.

He remained unbeaten on 210 runs and helped Sri Lanka post a massive total of 381/3 in their 50 overs while batting first.

 

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He became the 10th male cricketer to hit a double hundred in the ODIs, also surpassing Sanath Jayasuriya's record of the highest individual score for Sri Lanka in the ODI format.

Jayasuriya, who had scored 189 against India in 2000, was present in the stands and applauded Nissanka's effort whe he surpassed his score.

 

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Talking about the match, Sri Lanka were off to a remarkable start as Nissanka and Avishka Fernando stitched an 182-run opening stand in 26.2 overs.

Both the batters scored respective half-centuries before Fernando was dismissed for 88 runs by Fareed Ahmed.

Nissanka kept going and brought up his double century in the last over as his innings included 20 fours and eight sixes.

Nissanka also became the third fastest batter to score a double ton in ODIs as he surpassed Chris Gayle and Virender Sehwag who had scored it in 138 and 140 balls respectively.

India's Ishan Kishan holds the record for the fastest double century, having achieved the feat in 126 balls against Bangladesh in 2022.

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell stands second in the list as he scored a double century in 128 balls in the ODI World Cup 2023 match against Afghanistan.

Apart from cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who was the first batter to reach 200 in the ODI format, Virender Sehwag, Martin Guptill, Rohit Sharma, Fakhar Zaman, Chris Gayle, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, and Glenn Maxwell are the other batters to have hit the double hundred.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma is the only player in the history of the game to have hit the double century three times in the ODI cricket.