Not that he was an unknown commodity until yesterday, Sri Lanka all-rounder Dunith Wellalage further strengthened his impression in world cricket on the back of winning a maiden Player of the Match award against India in Asia Cup 2023. The development has brought Wellalage a step closer to former West Indies captain Carlos Brathwaite‘s prediction around his potential greatness 20 months ago.
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Wellalage, who had led Sri Lanka in ICC Under-19 World Cup last year, had put on display first signs of a top-notch cricketer by finishing as the highest wicket-taker and sixth-highest run-scorer of the tournament. His all-round brilliance had provided reasons behind excessive ballyhoo around the talent that he was considered from Day 1.
Carlos Brathwaite Had Urged Fans To Remember Dunith Wellalage’s Name
Brathwaite, a T20 World Cup winner, was part of the commentary panel in 2022 U-19 World Cup. It was then that he had urged fans to ‘Remember his Name’. Readers must note that Brathwaite took a cue from Ian Bishop‘s memorable line as a commentator after West Indies had won ICC World Twenty20 2016 because of his heroics at the Wankhede Stadium seven years ago.
“Dunith Wellalage. Listen to that name. Remember that name. That is a name that we will hear for many years to come. He seems to be a very good leader of men.”
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Although Sri Lanka finished at the sixth position, Wellalage had come across as a bright prospect. Since many cricketers have failed to make this leap this quickly, it is to be noted that the 20-year old player was handed an international debut less than five months after the world event in West Indies.
Dunith Wellalage Won Maiden Player Of The Match Award In Asia Cup 2023 Clash Against India
Representing Sri Lanka for the 14th time within three months, Wellalage ticked another box of dominating against India in his brief international career. It was his spell that brought Sri Lanka back into the match at the R Premdasa Stadium on Tuesday. Before his introduction into the attack, Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were hammering the Sri Lankan bowlers.
In what was an absolute jaffa, Wellalage dismissed Gill on his very first ball of the match. Soon enough, he sent the duo of Sharma and his predecessor Virat Kohli back to the pavilion. The astute way in which he used his orthodox and arm balls whilst varying his pace was commendable to say the least.
India wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul and vice-captain Hardik Pandya were the remaining two victims of Wellalage in the Super Four contest. All five wickets taken by the left-arm spinner were top Indian batters which is a huge thing for any youngster. Not just with the ball, but the left-handed batter also proved his mettle with the bat in hand.
Taking a 5-fer in an ODI is an outstanding accomplishment…but removing 5 out of the top 6 batters is a rarity. That too against a team like India with Kohli-Rohit-Gill-Rahul in it. Take a bow, Wellalage 🙇♂️ #IndvSL
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 12, 2023
At one stage, Sri Lanka were 99-6, but he stitched a 63-run seventh-wicket partnership with Dhananjaya de Silva that prevented the home side of registering an embarrassing defeat. In what eventually wasn’t meant to be Sri Lanka’s day, Wellalage was their highest run-scorer with his 42* (46) comprising three boundaries and a six.
