Pavan Rathnayake has been knocking on the door for some time now. After Wednesday night’s fireworks under lights at Maitland Crescent, the selectors might have no choice but to roll out the red carpet for the 22-year-old run machine.

In the final of Sri Lanka’s domestic 50-over competition, Rathnayake turned in a performance that was nothing short of a masterclass. Representing Colombo Cricket Club against Police Sports Club, the right-hander hammered an unbeaten 158 off just 94 balls, a knock stitched together with 13 boundaries and nine towering sixes, to guide his side to a thumping 187-run victory.

Batting at number five, Rathnayake walked in with purpose and batted as though he had a plane to catch, peppering all corners of the ground. The innings wasn’t just eye-catching as it got the attention and nod of the selectors.

The supporting cast played their parts to perfection: Nishan Madushka (88), Kamindu Mendis (59) and Sonal Dinusha (53) helped CCC pile up an imposing 387 for five in their allotted 50 overs – a total that always looked beyond reach.

Police SC, in response, never got out of the blocks. They were bundled out for 200 in 40.3 overs, never recovering from the early inroads made by the CCC attack.

The final was lit up, quite literally, at the picturesque CCC grounds, now one of the country’s few venues fitted with floodlights – a luxury SSC is expected to boast by next year. But it was Rathnayake who truly illuminated the night.

The hundred in the final was not a flash in the pan. Rathnayake has been churning out runs across formats – both in domestic cricket and on the ‘A’ tour circuit. He was part of the Sri Lanka ‘A’ side that toured Australia earlier this year, notching a century in the second unofficial Test. He also piled on the runs against Afghanistan ‘A’ in the UAE earlier in April, proving that his purple patch isn’t confined to home turf.

With national selectors watching closely, Rathnayake has timed his run to perfection.

Veteran opener and former captain Dimuth Karunaratne took to social media moments after the final, calling for Rathnayake’s inclusion in the national side. “The national cap isn’t far now,” Karunaratne wrote.

Cricketing insiders suggest Rathnayake is firmly in the mix for Sri Lanka’s upcoming white-ball tour of Zimbabwe later this month. If picked, it would be a richly deserved cap for a youngster who has done all the hard yards and now appears ready for the big stage.