Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and members of the team management reached out to Sri Lanka’s Dunith Wellalage after the Asia Cup Super Fours match between the two sides on Tuesday. Wellalage, 22, recently returned to the tournament after the passing of his father, Suranga, who died of a heart attack last week. The young all-rounder had flown home to Colombo after Sri Lanka’s group-stage match against Afghanistan before rejoining the squad in the UAE ahead of the Super Fours. Though he featured in Sri Lanka’s first Super Fours fixture against Bangladesh, Wellalage was not part of the playing XI against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. After the game, Salman Ali Agha walked up to the spinner, shook hands with him, and spent a few moments in conversation.Watch his emotional gesture here Following the Pakistan skipper, other team officials, including manager Naveed Akram and head coach Mike Hesson, also greeted Wellalage and offered their support. The gesture came just days after a video of Wellalage’s emotional farewell from his family in Colombo went viral on social media, drawing widespread admiration for his decision to rejoin the national side despite personal tragedy.
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Sri Lanka will next face India in their Super Fours campaign, with Wellalage available for selection. For Wellalage’s side however, will want India to lose the game against Bangladesh on Wednesday, given the fact that a win for the defending champions will end their hopes of qualifying for the final. Sri Lanka are the only side yet to pick up a single point in the Super Fours stage.
