Sri Lankan cricket legend Lasith Malinga showered accolades on the rising star Dunith Wellalage after the young all-rounder dazzled with an outstanding bowling performance against India in the Asia Cup.
Wellalage secured his first five-wicket haul at the senior international level, registering impressive figures of 5/40.
Malinga took to social media immediately after Sri Lanka's clash to commend Wellalage's remarkable efforts and expressed his belief in the bright future that lies ahead for the young spinner. He stated, "It is fair to say that SL played with 12 players today. That is how good Dunith was. He has got a brilliant head on his young shoulders to go with his all-round skill set. I believe he is on his way to becoming the most important player for SL in ODIs for the next decade," Malinga concluded.
Although Wellalage has played only 13 ODIs for Sri Lanka so far, the left-arm talent appears set to play a significant role in Sri Lanka's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup campaign, which begins in India next month. Wellalage initially showcased his talent by finishing as the leading wicket-taker at last year's ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup, amassing 17 scalps at an impressive average of 13.58.
The young all-rounder also made noteworthy contributions with the bat during the tournament. In six matches, he amassed 264 runs at an average of 44.00 and a strike rate of 70. He recorded a century and a half-century, with his highest score being 113. He emerged as Sri Lanka's leading run-scorer in the tournament and ranked seventh overall.
The 20-year-old continued to build on his promise by dismissing key Indian batsmen such as Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya during his breakout spell at the Asia Cup. Wellalage's performance left a lasting impression on the international cricket community, and he received praise from several other prominent figures on social media.
Despite Sri Lanka falling short in their chase of India's total of 213, Wellalage showcased his all-round prowess by contributing an impressive 42* with the bat and rightfully earned the Player of the Match award.
Dunith Wellalage's remarkable performance not only earned him the 'Player of the Match' accolade but also propelled India to the final of the tournament.
