Bereaved Sri Lankan cricketer Dunith Wellalage will return to UAE on Friday night after paying last respect to his late father Suranga Wellalage who died yesterday.
The 22-year-old Dunith was playing Asia Cup match against Afghanistan – his first of the tournament – in Abu Dhabi when his father died of a heart attack. The allrounder only heard the news after the conclusion of the match following which he left for home.
“Dunith Wellalage, who returned home to pay his last respects to his late father, will rejoin the team tomorrow morning. He will travel to the UAE tonight accompanied by Team Manager Mahinda Halangode,” Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement on Friday.
“The manager came up and broke the news that Dunith’s father had passed away after
the game was over,” head coach Sanath Jayasuriya was earlier quoted as saying to AFP. “We were stunned. Suranga was a cricketer himself, a few years younger to me. We are in constant touch with Dunith and our thoughts and prayers are with him.”
Sri Lanka begin their Asia Cup Super Four campaign on Saturday against Bangladesh in Dubai and Dunith will be available for selection.
Dunith has played one Test, 31 ODIs and five T20Is. The left-arm spinner has taken a combined 46 wickets and scored 427 runs as well.
Dunith’s notable performances in ODIs have come against India – 5/27 during a bilateral ODI series last year and 5/40 during the Asia Cup in 2023.
Sri Lanka Top Group B
The Charith Asalanka-led Sri Lanka won all their three matches to top their group and advance to the next round of the Asia Cup on Thursday. They started their campaign by beating Sri Lanka by six wickets before getting the better of Hong Kong by four wickets.
Against Afghanistan, they secured another six-wicket win.
Batting first, Afghanistan posted a competitive 169/8 thanks to a blistering fifty from Mohammad Nabi who made 60 off 22. Nuwan Thushara took 4/18 for Sri Lanka while Dashun Shanaka, Dunith and Dushmantha Chameera took a wicket each.
In reply, opener Kusal Mendis scored an unbeaten 74 off 52 as Sri Lanka chased down the target in 18.4 overs.
