ICC Men's Player of the Month: Dunith Wellalage bags honor
Sri Lankan cricket sensation, Dunith Wellalage, has been honored with the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men's Player of the Month award for August 2024. The 21-year-old all-rounder outshone South Africa's Keshav Maharaj and West Indies's Jayden Seales to clinch this prestigious title. This accolade is a testament to Wellalage's exceptional performance against India in August, which marked significant progress in his budding international career.
Wellalage's performance leads Sri Lanka to historic victory
Wellalage's outstanding performance was instrumental in Sri Lanka's first bilateral ODI series victory over India since 1997. Despite India's status as the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup runner-up and their previous unbeaten streak, Wellalage led his team to triumph. He scored 108 runs and took seven wickets, which earned him the Player of the Series award.
Wellalage's career-best performances against India
Wellalage showcased his skills by scoring a career-best 67 and taking the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in the 1st ODI. His valiant 39 in the 2nd ODI helped Sri Lanka reach a winning total. In the 3rd ODI, he achieved career-best figures of 5/27, including key wickets of Kohli, Rohit, and Shreyas Iyer.
Wellalage expresses gratitude for ICC recognition
Upon receiving the ICC Men's Player of the Month award, Wellalage expressed his "immense satisfaction." He stated, "This recognition gives me further strength to continue doing the good work I do as a player and contribute to my team to reach excellence in the field." He also thanked his teammates, parents, friends, and relatives for their unwavering support throughout his journey.
