Sri Lankan cricketer Dunith Wellalage was facing a personal tragedy to address on Thursday when the Asia Cup 2025 took place between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
Wellalage, the father of Dunith, allegedly died because of a heart attack when the Sri Lankan star was busy in a cricketing match with Afghanistan in the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Who is Dunith Wellalage?
Despite the victory over the contest by the islanders, Dunith learnt about the greatest tragedy at the end of the match. A video has gone viral on social media where Sri Lanka coach Sanath Jayasuriya may be caught breaking the bad news to Wellalage on the field.
In the video, Jayasuriya and Wellalage are shown having a conversation, and the coach of Sri Lanka is touching the shoulder of the player and telling him not to worry due to the tragedy in his family.
No son should go through this💔
Jayasuriya & team manager right after the game communicated Dinuth Wellalage the news of his father’s passing away.pic.twitter.com/KbmQrHTCju
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) September 18, 2025
Dunith lost his father, Suranga, who was a cricketer who headed the Prince of Wales College but could not represent the national team.
Wellalage did not fare so well against a game with Afghanistan in the last game of Sri Lanka in Group B of the Asia Cup. The bowler scored 49 runs in 4 overs, and could only take one wicket.
He received five sixes in an over by Afghanistan veteran Mohammad Nabi who had 60 runs off 22 balls during the game. Nevertheless, it was the Sri Lankan team that won in the face of great fighting by Afghanistan.
