International career
Nishanka Nilakshi Damayanthi de Silva was born on September 27, 1989, in Panadura, Sri Lanka. She is a right-handed batter and right-arm medium bowler who has represented the Sri Lanka women’s national cricket team since 2013.
2013
- Made her WT20I debut on March 7, 2013, against the West Indies at Colombo (RPS).
- Entered the team as an all-rounder capable of contributing both with the ball and in the field.
2014
- Played in the ICC Women’s World T20 in Bangladesh.
- Took 2/14 vs Pakistan in the seventh-place playoff at Sylhet.
- Won a bronze medal at the Asian Games in Incheon with Sri Lanka.
2015
- Made her WODI debut on November 3, 2015, against New Zealand at Lincoln during the ICC Women’s Championship.
2016–2017
- Regular part of Sri Lanka’s ODI and T20I squads.
- Improved her batting role, moving from a lower-order player to a middle-order contributor.
2018
- Leading wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup in Malaysia (7 wickets in 5 matches).
- Selected for the ICC Women’s World T20 in the West Indies.
2019–2020
- Maintained her spot in limited-overs formats.
- Represented Sri Lanka at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia.
2021
- Included in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier squad in Zimbabwe.
2022
- Played in the Commonwealth Games Qualifier in Malaysia.
- Represented Sri Lanka in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
2023
- Scored 41 not out off 38 balls against Bangladesh in the Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, forming an unbeaten 104-run partnership with Harshitha Samarawickrama.
- Part of Sri Lanka’s first-ever T20I series win in England (2–1).
- In the first match at Durham, she scored 18 not out off eight balls, hitting three consecutive boundaries in the final over.
2024
- Selected again for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
- Member of the Sri Lanka team that won the Women’s T20 Asia Cup for the first time (defeating India in Dambulla).
2025
- Played in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India.
- On October 14, 2025, scored 55 not out off 28 balls against New Zealand in Colombo — the fastest fifty in Sri Lankan women’s ODI history (reached 50 off 26 balls).
- Continued as one of the most senior all-rounders in the squad.
By the end of 2025, Nilakshi de Silva had appeared in over 50 WODIs (1,109 runs, avg. 29.18, 4 fifties) and over 100 WT20Is (1,151 runs, avg. 18.27, 1 fifty), along with 11 wickets in T20Is and four wickets in ODIs. Her milestones include leading Sri Lanka’s wicket tally in the 2018 Asia Cup and setting a national record for the fastest ODI fifty in 2025.
Leagues Participation
Nilakshi de Silva has not played in any international or domestic franchise leagues.
Domestic career
Nilakshi de Silva began her domestic cricket path with Colts Cricket Club Women around the 2010/11 season, participating in early women’s T20 competitions. Soon after, she joined the Western Province Women's setup, which served as her gateway to top-level cricket. From 2013 onward, she became a permanent member of the Sri Lanka Army Sports Club Women, developing into one of the most critical players in the national club circuit.
Her domestic highlight came in the 2023/24 SLC Major Club Women’s 50-Over Tournament, where she scored an unbeaten 189 runs from 110 balls against Tamil Union at P. Sara Oval — one of the highest individual scores in Sri Lankan women’s club cricket. She was named Player of the Tournament, with Army SC finishing as runners-up that season.
Nilakshi has also served as captain of SLC Reds in both the Super Four T20 and 50-over tournaments (2022), batting mainly in the middle order. During 2023–2024, she appeared in the National Super League (Women), representing regional teams from Galle, Colombo, and Kandy, as SLC integrated senior internationals into regional squads.
Across her domestic career, de Silva’s role evolved from an all-rounder into a middle-order match-winner and leader. Her club and provincial performances for Army SC, SLC Reds, and earlier Colts CC built the foundation for her international success.
Records and achievements
Nilakshi de Silva has built a strong record as one of Sri Lanka’s most reliable all-rounders, producing match-winning performances in major international tournaments and setting national milestones with both bat and ball.
- 2014: Bronze medal at the Asian Games in Incheon as part of Sri Lanka’s women’s team.
- 2018: Led Sri Lanka in wickets at the Women’s T20 Asia Cup — 7 wickets in 5 matches, finishing as the team’s top bowler.
- 2020: Selected for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
- 2023:
- Scored 41 not out off 38 balls in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup group match vs Bangladesh, forming an unbeaten 104-run fourth-wicket partnership with Harshitha Samarawickrama.
- Contributed 18 not out off eight balls in the T20I series opener against England at Durham, sealing Sri Lanka’s first-ever T20I series win in England (2–1).
- 2024:
- Played in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and helped Sri Lanka secure their first-ever Women’s T20 Asia Cup title, defeating India in the final at Dambulla.
- 2025:
- Set a national ODI record — fastest fifty for Sri Lanka Women, reaching 50 runs off 26 balls and finishing 55 not out (28 balls) vs New Zealand on October 14, 2025, in Colombo.
- Represented Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India.
Personal life
Nilakshi de Silva keeps her personal life private and avoids media attention outside cricket.
Family
No verified information exists about Nilakshi de Silva’s parents, marital status, or children.
Finance
There are no official disclosures of her income or net worth. According to the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) women’s central contract structure (as reported by local media in 2024), national players earn monthly retainers ranging between LKR 100,000 and 300,000, plus USD 750 per match and a USD 250 win bonus.
Scandals
Nilakshi de Silva has no history of controversies, disciplinary cases, or media scandals.
Fans
Nilakshi maintains a limited but genuine online presence. Her confirmed Instagram account (@nilakshids) has around 1.7k followers, where she posts match updates and training content. She also has an official Facebook fan page that is active during major tournaments.
