Dunith Wellalage loses his father, Asia Cup participation in doubt following Sri Lanka’s qualification to the Super 4.
On Thursday, September 18, the day that Sri Lankan all-rounder Dunith Wellalage participated in the Asia Cup Group B match against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, his father, Suranga Wellalage, passed away.
Only after the match, which Sri Lanka won by six wickets with eight balls left to advance to the tournament’s Super Four phase, did Wellalage, 22, find out about his father’s passing. He headed home shortly after the game was over.
Given that Sri Lanka still has at least three games left in the Asia Cup—against Bangladesh on September 20, Pakistan on September 23, and India on September 26—this loss raises questions about Wellalage’s continued participation.
Wellalage played his maiden T20I in this tournament and just his fifth overall in Thursday’s Asia Cup encounter between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. His career-best 5 for 27 in the third ODI against India in Colombo in August 2024 was one of his 31 ODI appearances. In 2023, when the Asia Cup was played in the ODI format, he too took 5 for 40 against India. With 10 dismissals at an average of 17.90, he finished the tournament as the equal-second-leading wicket-taker.