Sri Lanka Cricketer Dunith Wellalage’s Father Dies During Asia Cup 2025 Match vs Afghanistan; Coach Sanath Jayasuriya Breaks the News - WATCH the emotional video

Sri Lanka’s victory over Afghanistan in their final Asia Cup 2025 Group B match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi turned bittersweet after young spinner Dunith Wellalage learned of his father’s passing immediately after the game.

The 22-year-old was informed by head coach Sanath Jayasuriya and the team manager that his father, Suranga Wellalage, had died of a sudden heart attack. Emotional visuals surfaced online showing Jayasuriya consoling the left-arm spinner with his arm around his shoulder.

Heart-Breaking

- Moments after the match, Sri Lankan coach Sanath Jayasuriya & Team Manager informed young Dunith Wellalage about his father’s sudden death due to a heart attack #Samsung #GalaxyF17SlimAndStrong #iPhone17 #SEBICleanChitToAdani pic.twitter.com/XOleSU9Aov

— CricketQuickBuzz (@CricketQuickBuz) September 19, 2025

Dunith reportedly left for home soon after, with his participation in the remainder of the tournament in doubt.

Former Sri Lanka cricketer Russell Arnold, who was on commentary duty, confirmed the heartbreaking news on air.

“Dunith Wellalage’s father, Suranga, passed away just a while ago. He played a bit of cricket too. You know how big our school cricket scene is. He captained Prince of Wales College when I captained my school, St Peter’s,” Arnold said on Sony Sports Network.

“Quite sad to hear that. The news was broken to Dunith just a while ago. And our condolences to the family. The celebrations will be muted. The team is a tight place, the dressing room. Hopefully, this bonds them and helps them go on and do well in the Super 4 stage,” he added.

A Tough Day on the Field for Wellalage

While Sri Lanka sealed a comfortable win, it was a difficult outing for Wellalage personally. He conceded 49 runs in four overs, including a nightmare final over where Mohammad Nabi hammered him for five sixes, giving Afghanistan a fighting total of 169/8 in 20 overs.

Despite the setback, Sri Lanka chased down the target with ease, booking their place in the Super 4 stage of the tournament. They will face Bangladesh next in the Super 4 opener on Monday.

The team’s celebrations, however, were subdued as the players rallied around Wellalage in his moment of grief.