DUBAI: Sri Lanka all-rounder Dunith Wellalage learnt about the sudden death of his father moments after victory at the Asia Cup and has temporarily returned home from the UAE, team officials told AFP on Friday.
Suranga Wellalage was glued to the television back home in a Colombo suburb on Thursday for the game against Afghanistan when he collapsed and was rushed to hospital.
The former amateur cricketer died of a heart attack aged 54.
His son was told the heartbreaking news by Sri Lankan team management straight after the six-wicket win over the Afghans in Abu Dhabi.
The news meant very muted celebrations as Sri Lanka went through to the next stage of the regional Twenty20 tournament.
Within hours the 22-year-old Wellalage was on a flight home but he is expected to return for the remainder of the eight-nation tournament.
Sri Lanka face Bangladesh in the Super Four stage on Saturday.
"The manager came up and broke the news that Dunith's father had passed away after the game was over," head coach Sanath Jayasuriya told AFP.
"We were stunned. Suranga was a cricketer himself, a few years younger to me. We are in constant touch with Dunith and our thoughts and prayers are with him."
Left-arm spinner Wellalage made his first T20I appearance since November 2024.
He was thrown the ball for the final over and veteran Afghanistan batsman Mohammad Nabi cut loose, belting him for five sixes as 32 runs gushed from the over.
It was the second most expensive over ever by a Sri Lankan in the shortest format.