Tharindu Ratnayake — the unbeaten finisher in the Royals’ run-in

Unbeaten in both innings

Tharindu Ratnayake has not been dismissed in NPL Season 3 — 49 runs in two innings for Sudurpaschim Royals, both not out — and he has taken 2 wickets as well. His 27 not out and 1 for 12 helped beat Janakpur Bolts in Match 21.

All-rounder. He is one of the players who have appeared for the Royals this season without being in the pre-season verified squad list, and he has made his case in small, useful pieces: runs when the innings needed finishing, wickets when the bowling needed a change.

His first outing was the strangest game of the season. Against Biratnagar Kings in Match 8, on 31 October, rain cut the match to five overs a side, and he sent down a single over that cost 31 runs as the Royals lost by 35. It was a night to forget with the ball — and he did not bat in it.

Since then, everything has gone his way. Against Karnali Yaks in Match 16, on 6 November, he made 22 not out off 12 balls and took 1 for 18 in a 39-run win. Then, against Janakpur Bolts in Match 21, on 10 November, he made 27 not out off 28 balls and took 1 for 12 in four overs as the Royals defended 120 and won by 27 runs. Two innings, two not outs; two bowling returns since the Biratnagar night, two wins.

Season 3 in numbers

Two innings, 49 runs, no dismissals. Three matches, 2 wickets at an average of 30.50. Tharindu Ratnayake’s Season 3 numbers are small — and almost entirely good.

Season 3 figures cover every completed match through Match 21 (the abandoned Match 7 produced no play), compiled from the published match scorecards and updated 10 November 2026.

There is no batting average to quote, because he has not been dismissed — the table shows a dash, which is the honest figure for a batter with two not outs in two innings. His strike rate of 122.5 comes from 49 runs off 40 balls. With the ball, the 1 for 12 in Match 21 is his best return, and his economy of 6.78 across nine overs is respectable for a bowler used in short bursts. The 0 for 31 in a single over in Match 8 is the outlier that drags the figures — a five-over game in the rain, and one over best forgotten.

Match by match

Every innings and every spell, in match order. An asterisk means not out. Full scores for every game are on the NPL Results page.

What the numbers mean

The sample is small, but the role is clear. Ratnayake is the finisher who bats low enough that his not outs usually mean the job is done, and the bowler who sends down a few overs when the main attack needs a breather. Both of his innings have come in wins, and both of his wickets since the Biratnagar game have come in wins too. He has not yet been asked to rescue an innings or defend a total on his own — the Royals have not needed him to.

The question for the run-in is whether a bit-part player becomes a bigger one. The Royals have one league match left, against Kathmandu Gorkhas, and then the playoffs, where the margins get thinner and the lower order matters more. A finisher who has never been dismissed all season is a useful card to hold — and the 27 not out in Match 21 is the innings that says he can hold an end while the runs come.

Where the Royals stand

Sudurpaschim Royals sit second in the NPL points table on 8 points from six matches — four wins, two defeats, net run rate +0.082. Only one league match remains: Kathmandu Gorkhas on Friday 13 November at 12:30 PM NST (11:45 AM PKT, 6:45 AM UTC) at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. The Royals cannot miss the playoffs either way — only three teams can still pass 8 points — so the fight is for the top two, which go straight to Qualifier 1 on 17 November. Win it and the Royals reach 10 points, and a first-place finish would be in their hands.

The playoffs follow the league stage: Qualifier 1 on Tuesday 17 November, the Eliminator on Wednesday 18 November, Qualifier 2 on Thursday 19 November and the final on Saturday 21 November, all at 4:30 PM NST at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.