On September 12 at the Asia Cup 2023, Dunith Wellalage recorded his finest ODI spell to date by taking out Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, and Shubman Gill.
On Tuesday, September 12, Sri Lanka staged a remarkable comeback against India in their Asia Cup 2023 match. India got off to a great start with an 80-run opening wicket partnership, but after 36 overs they were in serious trouble at 172 for six thanks to a remarkable five-wicket spell by youthful spinner Dunith Wellalage.
Sri Lanka finally got on the board in the 12th over thanks to the left-arm offspin of 20-year-old Wellalage. He stunned the Indian crowd by bowling the steady Shubman Gill and then took the crucial wicket of Virat Kohli in the same over.
But the youngster’s first three overs of bowling yielded three wickets, including Rohit Sharma’s. In addition to dismissing KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya, Wellalage single-handedly turned the tide of the game in Sri Lanka’s favour. Last week at the R Premadasa Stadium in a pivotal Super 4 encounter, he put up an impressive all-around effort and contributed to the removal of Ishan Kishan by taking a wonderful leaping catch.
By getting Hardik out on his final delivery of the game, Wellalage completed the extremely rare feat of taking wickets with the first and last balls in an ODI. Who is this mysterious teenager that smashed India’s all-star batting order in a must-win Asia Cup match?
Explain who Dunith Wellalage is.
- On January 9, 2003, he was born in Colombo.
- Left-arm slow Orthodox bowler with natural all-around ability
- Took Steve Smith’s wicket in his first international match, a Twenty20 International against Australia in June 2022.
- Made his Test debut in July of 2022, against Sri Lanka.
Wellalage has an economy rate of 5.30 and has picked up 18 wickets in 12 innings.
- He grabbed five wickets for 40 runs against India in 10 overs during the Asia Cup 2023.
- Wellalage led Sri Lanka to victory in the opening game of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2022, collecting five wickets.
With his 113 runs against South Africa, he made history as the youngest captain in Sri Lankan cricket history to reach triple digits.
- With 17 scalps, Wellalage dominated the bowling department at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2022.
- He has failed to make his Twenty20 International debut despite playing for Jaffna Kings in the Lanka Premier League.