India captain Suryakumar Yadav won hearts during the Asia Cup Super Four match against Sri Lanka with a kind gesture. After the match in Dubai, he approached young spinner Dunith Wellalage and offered him some words of encouragement. The moment quickly went viral online. Wellalage, who is just 21 years old, had recently lost his father.
During the match against Afghanistan on September 18, Wellalage’s father suffered a heart attack back home, which sadly resulted in his passing. The following day, Wellalage returned home for the family rituals before rejoining the team ahead of the game against Bangladesh.
In a video shared by Sony Sports Network, Suryakumar can be seen approaching Wellalage, placing his hand on his chest, and speaking gently to him. Fans described it as a brotherly gesture between two players. Wellalage responded with a soft smile and a nod, showing just how much a small act of kindness meant to him. Social media praised the Indian captain for his empathy and compassion.
Wellalage’s journey in the tournament has been a challenging one. Against Afghanistan, he bowled three tight overs and took one wicket. However, his final over was expensive, with Mohammad Nabi hitting five sixes. He retained his place for the Super Four fixture against Bangladesh, where he went wicketless. After a poor game, which Sri Lanka lost, Wellalage missed the next two matches — against Pakistan and India.
The last match of the Super Four stage in Dubai was a thriller. India posted 202 for 5, with Abhishek Sharma smashing his third fifty of the tournament. In reply, Pathum Nissanka’s brilliant century helped Sri Lanka level the scores, but Arshdeep Singh’s superb bowling in the Super Over secured India the win in just one ball.
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