Team India survived a scare against a spirited Sri Lankan side to confirm their spot in the Asia Cup 2023 final by defending a modest total of just 213 runs. The man who was single-handedly responsible for Sri Lanka nearly winning the game was left-arm spinning all-rounder Dunith Wellalage. The 20-year-old, who has filled in for Wanindu Hasaranga quite well, dismantled the Indian top-order with the first four wickets before picking up his fifth in the form of Hardik Pandya and then forged a 63-run partnership with the bat along with Dhananjaya de Silva to scare the Men in Blue once again before all came downhill for the hosts.
Wellalage has been a revelation this tournament and has proven that he has the temperament for handling the big-game pressure with both bat and ball and is likely to be one of the 15 members of the Sri Lankan squad for the World Cup.
But do you know where Wellalage was discovered? The stage where the likes of Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and Tim Southee showcased to the world what they have got for the first time - the Under-19 World Cup. Wellalage was the captain of the Sri Lankan team in the 2022 U-19 World Cup and West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, who was part of the commentary team for the tournament, made a big prediction with respect to the left-arm spinner. The video was shared by ICC after Wellalage's once-in-a-lifetime performance against India.
"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," Brathwaite had said on commentary during the U-19 World Cup 2022.
Wellalage was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament (17) and his performance was enough for Sri Lanka to fastrack him to the senior side within a year. Now, Wellalage stood out with a player of the match performance despite his side's loss and will be eager to ensure that Sri Lanka reaches the final of the Asia Cup, with a win against Pakistan on Thursday, September 14.
