Sad news emerging: Father of Sri Lankan cricketer Dunith Wellalage passes away on the same day of the Asia Cup match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, held in the UAE.
Sri Lanka Secures Six-Wicket Victory Over Afghanistan in Asia Cup
In a tense and emotional match, Sri Lanka triumphed over Afghanistan by six wickets in the Asia Cup Group B fixture on September 18. The victory propelled Sri Lanka into the Super Four stage of the tournament undefeated.
The match began with Afghanistan posting a challenging total of 169/7, thanks to a powerful 60* in 22 balls from Mohammed Nabi, which included three fours and six sixes. The Afghans struggled early on, slumping to 114/7 in 17.1 overs.
Sri Lanka, however, faltered during the run-chase, losing an in-form Pathum Nissanka early. Kusal, the Sri Lankan batsman, stepped up to the plate, scoring a resilient 74 in 52 balls, complete with 10 fours. He was ably supported by Kamindu Mendis, who scored 26 in 13 balls, hitting two sixes, in a power-packed 52-run stand that led to a successful run-chase with eight balls left.
Dunith Wellalage, the Sri Lankan all-rounder, had a mixed performance. He did not have a successful match with the ball, picking up 1/49 in four overs and conceding 32 runs in total during his final over. Despite this, he has impressed in the tournament, claiming 10 wickets, joint-second-best, at an average of 17.90. He has also played 31 ODIs and has two five-wicket hauls, one against India in the 2023 Asia Cup ODI edition.
The circumstances surrounding his father's death may affect Dunith Wellalage's further participation in the tournament. Suranga Wellalage, Dunith's father, passed away on September 18, the same day as the match against Afghanistan.
The Asia Cup tournament continues with Sri Lanka set to play Bangladesh on September 20, Pakistan on September 23, and India on September 26. If Dunith Wellalage continues to participate, he will be playing for the Sri Lanka team in these upcoming matches.
