Asia Cup: Lankan spinner Wellalage places sport above personal loss

Dunith Wellalage, the 22-year-old Sri Lankan spinner may be a rookie in world cricket, but he has emulated some of the biggest names of the game when it came to placing the sport over personal grief. Less than 48 hours after losing the father during their match against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka, Dunith is back in Dubai and available for selection in their first Super Four tie against Bangladesh this evening.

 A statement from Sri Lanka Cricket says that Dunith was accompanied on his journey from the UAE to Sri Lanka and back by team manager Mahinda Halangode. He attended father Suranga’s funeral services and rejoined the squad on Saturday morning – bringing back memories of similar gesture of fortitude from Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Siraj and Rishabh Pant.

 Suranga, 54, who was also a cricketer of standing in Lanka, died of heart attack while watching Lanka’s last league match against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. Wellalage learnt of his father’s death after the match and immediately left for home.

Sanath Jayasuriya, now the Lankan head coach who was seen consoling Dunith in a video on social media, penned a heartfelt message on his Facebook wall: ‘’Dunith, your father was a cricketer himself, and he can be truly proud of the son he raised. His values, his love for the game, and his spirit live on through you. I know how strong you are and I have no doubt that you will continue to make him proud by winning many games for Sri Lanka.’’

Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka head coach Dunith, your father was a cricketer himself, and he can be truly proud of the son he raised. His values, his love for the game, and his spirit live on through you. I know how strong you are and I have no doubt that you will continue to make him proud by winning many games for Sri Lanka

 The incidents of Tendulkar losing his father during the 1999 World Cup in England, heading back for funeral only to come back later and score a match-winning century against Kenya; a 18-year-old Kohli resuming his innings in a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi the night after losing his father is now part of cricket’s folklore.

 The match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan was only Wellalage’s fifth T20I and his first in the ongoing tournament – where he took a bit of stick to return figures of one for 49 and did not bat. Wellalage has played 31 ODIs, with his career best of 5 for 27 coming against India in Colombo in August 2024. He also took an impressive five for 40 in the 2023 Asia Cup against India when the tournament was played in the ODI format.

 The previous Asia Cup was a breakthrough one for Dunith, who was the joint second-highest wicket taker in that tournament, claiming 10 wickets at an average of 17.90. After Saturday’s fixture against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka’s next two Super Four games are against Pakistan on 23 September and 26 September.

Asia Cup: Heartbreak for Wellalage as he loses father during Afghan game