With the ball, bat, and spink, Dunith Wellalage makes an impression: Asia Cup 2023

With the ball, bat, and spink, Dunith Wellalage makes an impression

Wellalage scored an undefeated 42 off 46 balls, however Sri Lanka lost by 41 runs due to a lack of partners. Wellalage was the team’s outstanding performer with this all-around effort of 42*, 5/40, and two catches.

“Wella, Wella” chants echoed around the R Premadasa Stadium, which was nearly full for the first time during this Asia Cup. HK Chamath Gimhana, a childhood friend of Dunith Wellalage, claims over the phone that he is kicking himself for missing the event after traveling to Pallekele ten days prior and being present when Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh on Saturday.

Gimahana missed watching his pal Wellalage snare five wickets against India’s star-studded batting order because he left for work in the afternoon. Gimahana was hooked to the television as Wellalage threatened to steal the game from India with his bat. Nobody was interested in moving, not even in the stadium. Prayers and superstitions were appropriate at this time. A comeback was anticipated by the large audience after Sri Lanka struggled after bowling out India for 213. Wellalage scored an undefeated 42 off 46 balls, however Sri Lanka lost by 41 runs due to a lack of partners. Wellalage was the team’s outstanding performer with this all-around effort of 42*, 5/40, and two catches.

Wellalage and Dhananya de Silva’s 63-run partnership was giving India trouble as they came to the crease with Sri Lanka in trouble at 99/6. A brief period of rain before India’s innings ended had slightly changed the circumstances, despite the fact that they had 213 on the board, a total that seemed reasonable on the slow surface.

India had to make quick progress because of the soggy outfield and the impending dew, which they did. But when the ball started to get softer, Wellalage and Dhananjya started to score with ease. However, a quick strike from Ravindra Jadeja, who took out the latter, let India to find the opening they so desperately needed, and from that point on, they quickly ended the game.

Wellalage is the upcoming big star to emerge from the island after leading Sri Lanka at the Under-19 World Cup played in the Caribbean last year. He is developing into a priceless asset for Sri Lanka as a left-arm slow bowler and a very competent middle-order batsman.

One reminder is posted on each team’s planning board in domestic circles of the nation: Do not undervalue Wella. Teams have paid the price for underestimating the little Wellalage, who comes from Moratua, the same town that gave the world “Little Kallu” or Romesh Kaluwitharana, starting from his school cricket to age-group and domestic cricket. It is the setting for his dreams, which ultimately led him to Colombo’s renowned St. Joseph’s College.

“He is the student in the class who is most focused. He played for the school’s first team (U-20) when he was 15 and understands that cricket is his future. All of us will experience some level of terror at that age, but Wella doesn’t understand what fear is, according to Chamath, who spoke to The Indian Express. Wellalage’s appeal and the game’s popularity started to spread among students. Jehan Mubarak, a former Sri Lanka cricketer and current Under-19 coach, has observed Wellalage up close as both an opposing coach and a member of his own squad, so he is not surprised by his most recent standout performance against India on Tuesday.

Many of them have a tendency to underestimate him due to his size and believe they can push him around. They try to attack him when he bowls, and they want to bounce him out when he bats. As a result, he is accustomed to it and never backs down. He is a born warrior and shows greater maturity for his age. He constantly strives to succeed under pressure, and I frequently witnessed him succeeding against the team I coached, according to Mubarak, who spoke to The Indian Express.

Despite India having a strong start on Tuesday, Wellalage was not going to be scared by famous opponents. Wellalage concentrated just on hitting the proper lengths because the weather was helping him. He dismissed Shubman Gill off the first ball by dragging him forward, beating him in flight, and smashing the stumps. He took the prized wicket of Virat Kohli in his second over, while Rohit Sharma was destroyed by an arm-ball in his subsequent over. At the start of the 15th over, 91/3 in 11 overs, from 80/1.

“He has had a really smooth transition from the Under-19 days to today, which is what everyone expected him to have. At this level, a lot of information is being supplied to him from many different sources, and it varies according on the team he plays. But he is aware of how to sort them all and choose only what would work for him.

“A seasoned cricketer can do that, but for a 20-year-old to know his game and choose exactly what works for it helps him stand out from the crowd. He is a skilled player who understands how to read the game and is quite confident in his abilities. He is aware of how to apply his abilities and is confident in his ability to make things better. Even more experienced players will frequently step up if a 20-year-old is doing it. Since playing age-group cricket, he has been doing this, according to Mubarak.

Wellalage continued to suffocate the intermediate order after the top tier was eliminated. The only batsman who seemed at comfortable against the spinners from Sri Lanka was KL Rahul, who used his feet and the crease to good use until being undone by the pitch’s two speeds and gifting a return catch to Wellalage. And Wellalage had five wickets in the bag when Hardik Pandya left off the final ball of his tenth over.