By: Aditya Ahuja

Former Sri Lanka Under-19 captain Dhammika Niroshana tragically passed away on Wednesday at the age of 41 after being shot by an unidentified person outside his residence, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. The shooters remain at large, and Sri Lankan authorities are currently investigating the incident to identify and apprehend the perpetrator.

Niroshana retired prematurely from cricket in 2004, ending his career that began with his Under-19 debut in 2000 and saw him assume the captaincy in 2002. His final competitive match took place in December 2004.

While Niroshana did not get the chance to play for Sri Lanka’s senior team, he shared the field with future stars of Sri Lankan cricket such as Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga, and Farveez Maharoof during his Under-19 days.

Leading Lanka

Niroshana emerged as a promising talent within Sri Lanka’s youth cricket setup. His journey began with his Under-19 debut for Sri Lanka in 2000, where he eventually took on leadership roles in several matches. However, his cricketing career concluded early at the age of 21.

As a right-arm fast bowler and proficient right-handed batsman, Niroshana captained Sri Lanka during the 2002 Under-19 World Cup held in New Zealand. Despite a modest showing where Sri Lanka won just one game, they advanced to the second Super League stage. Niroshana’s squad included future international stalwarts like Farveez Maharoof, Jeevan Mendis, Dhammika Prasad, and Upul Tharanga. During the tournament, Niroshana claimed seven wickets across five innings, with a notable best performance of 3/38.

Niroshana entered the First-Class arena in the 2001-02 season, featuring prominently in 12 matches for teams such as Galle CC, Singha SC, and Chilaw Marians. Over three years, he accumulated 19 wickets before bidding farewell to professional cricket following his last match with Galle Cricket Club in December 2004.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is gearing up to host India for a thrilling three-match T20I and ODI series. The action kicks off with the first T20I scheduled for July 26, followed by the second on July 27 and the final match on July 29.

The T20I leg of the series will be held at Pallekele International Stadium, while R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo will host the 50-over matches, as confirmed by ESPNCricinfo.

India’s previous bilateral white-ball series tour to Sri Lanka took place in July 2021, under the coaching of Rahul Dravid with Shikhar Dhawan leading the side. During that series, India clinched the ODI series 2-1, while Sri Lanka secured a thrilling victory in the T20I series by the same margin.