3 reasons why Dunith Wellalage is the next big thing in Sri Lankan cricket

The first game of a three-match ODI series between India and Sri Lanka ended in a tie on Friday, August 2, at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Charith Asalanka won the toss and decided to bat first. The hosts didn’t start well, losing Avishka Fernando (1) in the third over. Pathum Nissanka played a brilliant hand, scoring 56 runs off 75 balls.

The Sri Lankan middle order had a tough time as they failed to put up a decent partnership. Dunith Wellalage showed great composure to take Sri Lanka to a respectable total. The 21-year-old remained unbeaten on 67 off 65 balls, hitting seven boundaries and two sixes as Sri Lanka finished at 230/8 in their 50 overs. In response, Indian captain Rohit Sharma came all gun blazing. The right-handed batter scored 58 runs off 47 balls, smashing seven fours and three sixes.

Several Indian batters got starts but were unable to convert them into big innings. Men in Blue needed five runs off the last three overs with two wickets in hand.

Shivam Dube hit the third ball of the 48th over for four as scores leveled. However, he was trapped in front of wickets on the next level. The Sri Lankan captain then removed Arshdeep Singh on the very next ball as the match ended in a tie.

The player who impressed most in the game was Dunith Wellalage, scoring an important fifty and taking two wickets. The young player also won the Player of the Match award. On that note, we will look at three reasons why Dunith Wellalage is the next big thing in Sri Lankan cricket.

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#1 All-round capabilities

Dunith Wellalage is a talented all-around player who is excellent with the bat and the ball. He is an invaluable addition to any team because of his capacity to make a major contribution in every area of the game. In addition to bowling with control and variety, he bats effectively and with excellent technique.

Dunith was excellent in the game against India, showing his skills with both bat and ball. While he struck an important fifty in the first inning, the off-spinner took two important wickets (Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill) to bring Sri Lanka into the game.

The 21-year-old can become a go-to player for Sri Lanka in the coming years, considering his all-round capabilities.

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#2 Ability to perform under pressure

Well, this was not the first time that Dunith soaked up pressure and came up with a great performance in his short career. In the 2023 Asia Cup against India, the left-handed player played a brilliant innings and was on fire with the ball.

Batting first, India scored 213 runs, courtesy of a brilliant fifty from Rohit Sharma (53). Dunith Wellalage was excellent for Sri Lanka; the spinner took five wickets in his spell of 10 overs as the Men in Blue got bowled out on 213.

In response, Sri Lanka couldn’t get over the line, as they were bowled out on 172. Dunith played a brilliant hand; he remained unbeaten on 42 off 46 but didn’t get enough support as Sri Lanka lost by 41 runs.

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#3 He is still 21 years old and has enough potential

At a relatively young age, Wellalage has already shown remarkable talent and maturity on the field. His early performances have shown that he has what it takes to become one of Sri Lanka's most significant players. With more time and experience, he could emerge as a key player for Sri Lanka.

He was the captain of the Sri Lankan team in the 2022 Under-19 World Cup. The Island Nation can also groom him for the leadership role. The 21-year-old has represented his nation in 22 ODIs and one Test. Meanwhile, Wellalage has played 28 first-class games and has scored 866 runs with 87 wickets to his name.