(IANS Photo)
In a tragic turn of events, Dhammika Niroshana, the former captain of Sri Lanka’s Under-19 cricket team in 2002, was fatally shot on Tuesday night near his home in Ambalangoda. Niroshana, who began his cricket journey as a schoolboy in Ambalangoda, fell victim to an unidentified assailant wielding a 12-bore firearm.
Sri Lankan authorities suspect the motive behind the killing to be linked to underworld gang rivalries. Police spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa confirmed that the perpetrator fled the scene following the attack on the 41-year-old former cricketer.
“Investigations are underway to arrest the suspect involved in the shooting which seemed to be a result of a gang rivalry,” the police said.
Niroshan, who had fled abroad for safety following the murder of his close friend Dasun Manawadu in Ambalangoda, returned to his homeland just three months ago.
Police are currently investigating whether there is any connection between Niroshan’s killing and the murder of H. Premasiri, a prominent first-class cricketer and former administrator of cricket in the southern region. Premasiri was fatally shot by an unidentified assailant near his home on August 12, 2016.
Authorities suspected that Premasiri’s murder was linked to an international match-fixing network operating at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. Galle has gained notoriety for its underworld activities and the spate of killings related to cricket and gang rivalries in the area.
Niroshana’s journey with the Sri Lanka U-19 team began in 2000 when he debuted against Singapore. Renowned for his prowess as a fast bowler and his handy skills with the bat, Niroshana maintained an impressive bowling average of under 30 across first-class, List A, and U-19 cricket formats.
While he didn’t ascend to the senior national team, Niroshana shared the field with emerging talents such as Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga, and Farveez Maharoof during his tenure at the U-19 level.
