Pavan Rathnayake is a promising top-order batter from Colombo who has rapidly ascended through Sri Lanka’s ranks with his elegant strokeplay and consistent run-scoring. The 23-year-old right-hander, educated at Mahanama College, has been a prolific performer in domestic cricket, amassing over 4,200 runs in first-class cricket at an impressive average of 49.52, including 14 centuries and 15 half-centuries. His ability to score quickly in the longer format is reflected in his strike rate of 67.68, unusually high for a top-order batter. Rathnayake made his international breakthrough in late 2025, debuting in ODIs against Pakistan in November, followed by his T20I debut later that month. He announced his arrival in spectacular fashion with a maiden ODI century of 121 against West Indies, showcasing his ability to perform at the highest level. With a solid technique and the temperament to build big innings, Rathnayake represents the future of Sri Lankan batting.
| Batting & Fielding | ||||||||||||||
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
| ODIs | 4 | 4 | 0 | 194 | 121 | 48.50 | 200 | 97.00 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| T20Is | 12 | 10 | 1 | 266 | 60 | 29.55 | 181 | 146.96 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| FC | 64 | 100 | 15 | 4210 | 240 | 49.52 | 6220 | 67.68 | 14 | 15 | 402 | 93 | 93 | 6 |
| List A | 86 | 82 | 19 | 2803 | 158* | 44.49 | 3000 | 93.43 | 7 | 11 | 233 | 83 | 57 | 4 |
| T20s | 44 | 34 | 5 | 511 | 60 | 17.62 | 423 | 120.80 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 17 | 16 | 0 |
| Bowling | ||||||||||||||
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w | |
| ODIs | 4 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 0 | - | - | - | 12.00 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| T20Is | 12 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 2/11 | 2/11 | 5.50 | 5.50 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FC | 64 | 15 | 306 | 222 | 4 | 1/11 | 2/57 | 55.50 | 4.35 | 76.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| List A | 86 | 4 | 30 | 37 | 0 | - | - | - | 7.40 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| T20s | 44 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 2/11 | 2/11 | 5.50 | 5.50 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
He is a right-handed top-order batter known for his elegant strokeplay and ability to build big innings across formats.
In 64 first-class matches, he has scored 4,210 runs at an average of 49.52, including 14 centuries and 15 half-centuries, with a highest score of 240.
He made his ODI debut for Sri Lanka against Pakistan on November 16, 2025, and his T20I debut later that month on November 25, 2025.
He scored a maiden ODI century of 121 against West Indies, showcasing his ability to perform at the highest level.
In 88 List A matches, he has scored 2,827 runs at an average of 44.17, including 7 centuries and 11 half-centuries.
He has played for various teams including Colombo Cricket Club, Police Sports Club, and Kandy Falcons in the LPL.
He was born on August 24, 2002, in Colombo, making him 23 years old.
He attended Mahanama College in Colombo.
In 6 ODIs, he has scored 218 runs at an average of 43.60, including one century with a highest score of 121.
