Pathum Nissanka Silva (পাথুম নিশাঙ্কা) is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer who plays all formats of the game. He made his international debut for the Sri Lanka cricket team in March 2021 and is currently the permanent opening batsman and plays in all three formats of the game. On 9 February 2024, Nissanka scored an ODI double hundred, becoming the first Sri Lankan to achieve the feat.

Pathum Nissanka was born on 18 May 1998 in Galle. His father Sunil Silva worked as a ground boy and his income was low. Pathum's mother sold flowers near the Kalutara temple. In early childhood, he was raised in a poor family background. He started his cricket career during his time at Kalutara Vidyalaya and then move to Isipathana College, Colombo. When in the School Cricket Championship he scored an unbeaten double century (205) off 190 balls against President's College, Rajagiriya at Colts ground, Colombo. He made his List A debut for Hambantota District in the 2016–17 Districts One Day Tournament on 17 March 2017. He made his Twenty20 debut for Badureliya Sports Club in the 2017–18 SLC Twenty20 Tournament on 24 February 2018.

In March 2018, he was named in Kandy's squad for the 2017–18 Super Four Provincial Tournament. The following month, he was also named in Kandy's squad for the 2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.

In January 2019, he was named in Sri Lanka A's squad for the first-class series against Ireland A. He was the leading run-scorer for Sri Lanka A with 258 runs in two matches. In February 2019, he scored his 1,000th run in the 2018–19 Premier League Tournament, batting for Nondescripts Cricket Club against Colombo Cricket Club. He finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer for Nondescripts Cricket Club, with 1,088 runs in seven matches.

In November 2019, he was named in Sri Lanka's squad for the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Bangladesh. Later the same month, he was named in Sri Lanka's squad for the men's cricket tournament at the 2019 South Asian Games. The Sri Lanka team won the silver medal after they lost to Bangladesh by seven wickets in the final.

In June 2022, in the third match against Australia, Nissanka scored his first century in an ODI match, with 137 runs, as Sri Lanka beat Australia by six wickets. During the Test series against Australia, Nissanka contracted COVID-19 and was ruled out of the series. During the T20I series against Australia, he reached 598 T20I runs, and broke the record for most runs in the first 20 T20I innings for Sri Lanka, previously held by Kumar Sangakkara with 576 runs. In the meantime, he surpassed Tillakaratne Dilshan's record for the most 30+ scores for Sri Lanka in the first 20 T20I innings by reaching eleven 30+ scores.

During the 2022 Asia Cup, Nissanka played as the opener with Kusal Mendis and they made match-winning partnerships in the games against Bangladesh, Afghanistan and India. Meanwhile, Nissanka made half-centuries against India and Pakistan in the Super 4 stage. Chasing 174 against India, Nissanka and Mendis made 97 runs within 11 overs and set up the chase. Even though Nissaka got out early in the final against Pakistan, Sri Lanka finally won the tournament for the sixth time.