The Sri Lankan cricket team has been going through a transition phase in recent times. And some of the youngsters are coming in who are doing well for the team. In recent years, young players like Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, M Pathirana, Dunith Wellalage, etc. shown great skills and determination. And it shows that the Sri Lankan cricket is in safe hands. Today, we will talk about one of the great prospects, Dunith Wellalage in this article. We will see the 3 IPL teams who can target him in the IPL 2024 mini-auction. So let’s start.
Dunith Wellalage – the next big thing in Sri Lankan cricket?
The left-arm spinner has made his name with his performances in international cricket recently. Although he has had a very short cricketing career till now, he shows glimpses of becoming a major asset to any team.
At the age of just 20, Dunith Wellalage is looking mature as a cricketer. Dinesh Karthik even said that Wellalage might captain the side as well in the future for Sri Lanka. The left-arm spinning all-rounder was also the captain of the Sri Lankan Under-19 team in 2022 in the West Indies.
Wellalage’s ability makes him a valuable asset
Dunith Wellalage is a conventional left-arm spinner. He has the natural ability to drift the ball back in while bowling. And when he got the helpful conditions, he became more lethal as we saw against India in Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s. He varies his pace in bowling and uses the arm ball and the slider to a good effect. All and all, he is a very good spinner to have in the team.
Dunith Wellalage | Also gives you runs with the bat
Dunith Wellalage can also bat very well as we saw in the Asia Cup 2023 so far. Wellalage has already played a few handy innings with the bat for Sri Lanka. And with his lightning-fast fielding, he becomes a complete package that a team might dream of. Now let’s see the three Indian Premier League IPL teams who might target him in the mini auction.
3 IPL franchises who might target Dunith Wellalage in the IPL 2024 mini-auction
(1) Punjab Kings (PBKS)
PBKS has been looking for its first-ever IPL title. They came closer in 2014 when they played the final. But they didn’t get over the line as KKR beat them.
The franchise has a very good side with a lot of batting firepower in the team. They just need an X-factor player who can turn the game on its head. In the spin bowling department, they have Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar in the team. But Brar hasn’t made any impact with both bat and ball in the last season.
Dunith Wellalage could be the perfect option for them as he can play that role. The franchise will have a closer look at his performance in the upcoming few months. Let’s see if the team invests in him or not.
(2) Mumbai Indians (MI)
MI has been one of the most successful teams in the IPL history. But in the last three seasons, they failed to even reach the finals of the tournament.
Although some great spinners have played for MI over the years, they are much more reliant on their fast bowlers in the bowing front. They have been looking for a quality spinner in the last few years who can bowl in the middle overs.
Dunith Wellelage could be the option along with Piyush Chawla, who has done well in the last season for MI. With two quality spinners in the middle overs, MI can go for wickets and restrict some more runs at the back end of the inning.
(3) Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
SRH had a very good team on paper in IPL 2023. But they failed to make a mark this time as well. With so many things to look for in SRH, one of the major concerns for them is their spin department.
SRH has Mayank Markande and Adil Rashid in the team. But both the players’s performance hasn’t been up to the mark till now.
Dunith Wellalage could be the perfect replacement for someone like Adil Rashid. The left-arm spinner could be the overseas option with Markande fitting in as an Indian spin bowling option.
Importance Of Dunith Wellalage In The WC 2023
Sri Lanka would hope that Wellalage continues his good form in the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023 and in the future as well. The different IPL franchises will also have a close eye on his performances in the upcoming few months.
The IPL 2024 mini-auction might take place in December or January. Let’s see if Dunith Wellalage gets the IPL contract or not. It all depends on his performance.
Conclusion
So these are the three teams we have picked who might target Dunith Wellalage in the IPL 2024 mini-auction. You can give your suggestion on this as well. The comment section is open to you.
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