Dunith Nethmika Wellalage (born 9 January 2003) is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer currently plays ODI cricket for the national side.[1] He made his international debut for the Sri Lanka cricket team in June 2022.[2] He was educated at St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa and St. Joseph's College, Colombo 10.[3]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Dunith Nethmika Wellalage | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 9 January 2003 Colombo, Sri Lanka | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Wella | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Slow left-arm orthodox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowling all rounder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Only Test (cap 162) | 24 July 2022 v Pakistan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 204) | 14 June 2022 v Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 14 February 2024 v Afghanistan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–present | Lankan Cricket Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Fortune Barishal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: ESPNcricinfo, 15 February 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic and franchise career
He made his List A debut on 14 December 2019, for Lankan Cricket Club in the 2019–20 Invitation Limited Over Tournament.[4]
In July 2022, he was signed by the Jaffna Kings for the third edition of the Lanka Premier League.[5]
He was also signed by Fortune Barishal in the tenth edition of Bangladesh Premier League.
International career
In January 2022, he was named as the captain of Sri Lanka's team for the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies.[6] In Sri Lanka's opening fixture of the tournament, he took a five-wicket haul,[7] and was named the player of the match.[8] In Sri Lanka's next match of the tournament, he took another five-wicket haul, and was again named the player of the match.[9] In Sri Lanka's Super League playoff semi-final match against South Africa, Wellalage scored 113 runs, with Sri Lanka winning the match by 65 runs.[10] He became the first captain of the Sri Lankan team to score a century in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup.[11] He finished the Under-19 World Cup as the leading wicket-taker, with seventeen dismissals.[12]
In April 2022, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) named him in the Sri Lanka Emerging Team's squad for their tour to England.[13] On 25 May 2022, during the tour of England, he made his Twenty20 debut, against Surrey.[14] The following month, he was named in the Sri Lanka A squad for their matches against Australia A during Australia's tour of Sri Lanka.[15] Later the same month, he was named in Sri Lanka's One Day International (ODI) squad, also for their series against Australia.[16][17] He made his ODI debut on 14 June 2022, for Sri Lanka against Australia.[18] The following month, he was added to Sri Lanka's Test squad for the second match against Australia.[19]
In July 2022, he was again named in Sri Lanka's Test squad, this time for their home series against Pakistan.[20] He made his Test debut on 24 July 2022, for Sri Lanka against Pakistan.[21]
In March 2023, he was named in both One Day International and Twenty20 International squad for the series against New Zealand.[22]
In May 2024, he was named in Sri Lanka’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.[23]