Former Sri Lanka Under-19 cricket captain Dhammika Niroshana tragically passed away at the age of 41 on Wednesday, following a fatal shooting outside his residence, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. The incident, where Niroshana was targeted by an unidentified assailant, has left the cricketing community in shock.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the assailants responsible for the shooting are still at large, prompting a thorough investigation by Sri Lankan authorities to apprehend the perpetrators. Niroshana, who represented Galle Cricket Club, showcased his talent in 12 first-class matches and 8 List-A games between 2001 and 2004, accumulating over 300 runs and claiming 19 wickets during his career.
Beginning his cricket journey in the Under-19 circuit in 2000, Niroshana quickly rose to prominence and assumed the captaincy in 2002. Despite not making it to the senior Sri Lankan team, he shared the field with future stars like Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga, and Farveez Maharoof.
In December 2004, Niroshana retired from competitive cricket after his final match, marking the end of a promising career cut short.
Meanwhile, amidst the mourning, Sri Lanka prepares to host India for a thrilling three-match series comprising T20 Internationals and One-Day Internationals. The series kicks off with the first T20I scheduled for July 26, followed by the second on July 27, and culminating with the third on July 29.
The T20I matches will be held at Pallekele International Stadium, while R Premadasa Stadium will host the ODIs, as confirmed by ESPNCricinfo. India’s last bilateral white-ball series visit to Sri Lanka occurred in July 2021, under the coaching of Rahul Dravid, where Sri Lanka claimed the T20I series 2-1, while India clinched the ODI series with the same margin.
(With ANI Inputs)
