Former Sri Lanka U19 cricketer Dhammika Niroshana shot dead at age 41
Sri Lankan Police are currently investigating to identify the person and arrest them
New Delhi: Former Sri Lanka Under-19 skipper Dhammika Niroshana died on Wednesday at the age of 41 after being shot by an unidentified person outside his house, according to ESPNcricinfo. ESPNcricinfo stated that the shooters are still at large, and the Sri Lankan Police are currently investigating to identify the person and arrest them.
Between 2001 and 2004, Niroshana appeared in 12 first-class games and 8 List A matches for the Galle Cricket Club, scoring more than 300 runs and bagging 19 wickets. Niroshana took an early retirement from all forms of the game in 2004. He made his U-19 debut in 2000 before taking over the captaincy in 2002. In December 2004, Niroshana bid adieu to competitive cricket after playing his last match.
Although Niroshana never made his debut in the senior team of Sri Lanka, he played alongside star Sri Lankan players like Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga, and Farveez Maharoof at the Under-19 level.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is set to host India in a three-match T20I and ODI series. The first T20I will take place on July 26, followed by the second on July 27 and the final one on July 29. The Pallekele International Stadium will host the T20I leg of the series, while the R. Premadasa Stadium will host the 50-over matches, as per ESPNcricinfo.
India's last tour of Sri Lanka for a bilateral white-ball series was in July 2021, with Dravid coaching the Shikhar Dhawan-led side. India won the ODI series 2-1, while Sri Lanka secured the T20I series by the same margin.