Dunith Wellalage is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer who currently plays limited-overs cricket for the national team. He made his international debut in June 2022 in a series against Australia. He studied at St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa, and St. Joseph’s College, Colombo 10.
Wellalage made his List A debut in the 2019–20 Invitation Limited Over Tournament for Lankan Cricket Club. In July 2022, he signed with Jaffna Kings for the third season of the Lanka Premier League, and he was also signed by Fortune Barishal for the tenth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League.
Dunith Wellalage won the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for August 2024. He beat competition from Keshav Maharaj of South Africa and Jayden Seales of the West Indies to claim the award. In the three-match ODI series, Wellalage scored 108 runs and took seven wickets.
Dunith Wellalage Records and Achievement
During the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match against India at the R Premadasa Stadium, Dunith Wellalage delivered a standout all-round performance. He took 5 wickets for 40 runs, dismissed batters including Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya, and also scored an unbeaten 42 off 46 balls. He added two catches in the field as well.
With this performance, he became only the second player in ODI history to take a five-wicket haul, score more than 40 runs, and grab two catches in the same match. The first to achieve this was Kapil Dev in 1983 against Australia.
He also became the second-youngest bowler to take a five-wicket haul in an ODI Asia Cup match. Wellalage was 20 years and 246 days old at the time. The youngest remains Saqlain Mushtaq, who achieved the feat in 1997 at 20 years and 199 days.
In addition, Wellalage became the youngest Sri Lankan to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs. He broke the previous record held by Charitha Buddhika, who was 21 years and 65 days old when he took 5/67 on debut in 2001.
Dunith Wellalage Career Stats
Dunith Wellalage has played 1 Test match and did not take a wicket in that format. With the bat in Tests, he scored 29 runs.
In ODIs, he has played 34 matches and taken 41 wickets. His best bowling figures are 5 for 27. He has one four-wicket haul and two five-wicket hauls. Batting in ODIs, he has scored 453 runs, including one half-century.
In T20 Internationals, he has played 12 matches and taken 13 wickets, with best figures of 3 for 9. He has not taken any four- or five-wicket hauls in T20Is. He has scored 52 runs.
In first-class cricket, he has played 37 matches and taken 107 wickets. His best bowling figures are 8 for 152. He has taken four four-wicket hauls and six five-wicket hauls. With the bat in first-class cricket, he has scored 1,317 runs, including eight fifties.
| Bowling | ||||||
| Format | Mat | Wkts | BBI | 4w | 5w | 10w |
| Tests | 1 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ODIs | 34 | 41 | 5/27 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| T20Is | 12 | 13 | 3/9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FC | 37 | 107 | 8/152 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| Batting | ||||||
| Format | Mat | Runs | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s |
| Tests | 1 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| ODIs | 34 | 453 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 12 |
| T20Is | 12 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| FC | 37 | 1317 | 0 | 8 | 136 | 13 |
Dunith Wellalage’s Personal Life
Dunith Wellalage comes from a Sinhalese Buddhist family. He was raised by his parents, Suranga Niroshan Wellalage and Harshani Kanchana Wellalage. His father was a former school-level wicketkeeper-batsman who later became a businessman. He ran a small shop in Moratuwa and even reduced his business commitments for him.
Suranga passed away on September 18, 2025, at the age of 54 due to a heart attack, just hours after watching Dunith play in an Asia Cup match. Dunith was informed after the game and returned home for the funeral.
Dunith has two brothers. Pulina Senath Wellalage was involved in cricket at a young age but later shifted to badminton. Chamath Chithira Wellalage is pursuing cricket. He is in a relationship with Deanne De Silva, a marketing student.
FAQs
Q. When did Dunith Wellalage make his international debut?
A. Dunith Wellalage made his international debut in June 2022 against Australia.
Q. When did Dunith Wellalage make his List A debut?
A. Dunith Wellalage made his List A debut on 14 December 2019 for Lankan Cricket Club.
Q. What award did Wellalage win in August 2024?
A. Dunith Wellalage won the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award after scoring 108 runs and taking seven wickets in a three-match ODI series.
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