Asalanka foresees great future for talented Wellalage

By Shamseer Jaleel in Pallekele   

Sri Lanka batsman Charith Asalanka foresees a bright future for young all-rounder Dunith Wellalage, stating the 19-year-old showed great maturity in their four-wicket win over Afghanistan on Wednesday.   

Chasing a record 314 to win, Sri Lanka reached the target with two balls to spare on the back of an unbeaten   

“Dunith Wellalage, is a great player and has a bright future ahead of him. He played like an experienced batter,” said match winning Charith Asalanka soon after the third ODI against the Afghanistan outfit which concluded at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium recently.   

Asalanka added that he had advised Wellalage how to bat in the conditions. “I got a cramp. It was very hot and humid conditions at Pallekele in the third one day match. I told Dunith to play within the line and try and hit the boundaries, he did the same. He is an asset for our team at this young age of 19 years.”   

Speaking on the condition of the wicket, Charith added, “The first one day it was swinging a bit but this one was a flat wicket. Spinners did not take wickets and we wanted to bat the full 50 overs and all supported well for this win.”   

Asalanka called this innings, the best of his ODI career so far. “I have been in this position (number five) for some time starting from the Indian tour and wanted to give my best to the team in future as well. This is my best ever innings in an ODI which I have played so far. We always reminded the batsman who came in to the middle to watch out for Rashid Khan. He is a dangerous bowler playing in T20 leagues all over the globe. We wanted to protect our wicket from him and go at the other bowlers later on. It worked really well for us.”   

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said, “We need to bat the full 50 overs to win matches. We did not do this in the first one and unfortunately the second ODI was rained off. In this game our batsmen did their homework correctly. We lost the toss in all three matches and had we won and fielded first Wanindu and Theekshana would have come among wickets. There was assistance for the bowlers under lights.”   

Shanaka further said, “We need these points very badly for the automatic qualification towards the Cricket World Cup 50 overs encounter in India next year. Chasing a score of 300 plus under lights is not an easy task and all credit to our batters.”