Sri Lankan all-rounder’s father passes away during the AFG vs SL match

Sri Lanka allrounder Dunith Wellalage faced a devastating personal loss on September 18, 2025, with the passing of his father, Suranga Wellalage.

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Sri Lanka allrounder Dunith Wellalage was dealt a heartbreaking blow on Thursday, September 18, 2025, when he learned of the passing of his father, Suranga Wellalage. The news came on the same day that Wellalage took part in Sri Lanka’s Group B Asia Cup match against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, a crucial encounter that Sri Lanka won by six wickets with eight balls to spare, securing their place in the Super Four round of the tournament.

What happened?

The 22-year-old Wellalage, who made his Asia Cup debut in this match, was unaware of his father’s death until after the game had concluded.

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Upon receiving the devastating news, he promptly left for home to be with his family during this difficult time. This tragic loss now casts uncertainty over his participation in the remainder of the Asia Cup, where Sri Lanka still face three more challenging matches: against Bangladesh on September 20, Pakistan on September 23, and India on September 26.

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The Afghanistan match was only his fifth appearance in T20 Internationals but his first in this Asia Cup edition.

Wellalage has also featured in 31 One Day Internationals (ODIs), displaying notable performances that highlight his allround capabilities.

Wellalage went for five sixes in an over

As per some reports, Wellalage’s father passed away due to a cardiac attack during the match where he went for 32 runs, including five sixes in five balls in the last over of the first innings against Mohammad Nabi. It was the second most expensive over bowled by any Sri Lankan in T20I internationals.

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