In a tragic event, former Sri Lanka U-19 cricket captain Dhammika Niroshana was shot dead on Tuesday night.
Niroshana, a fast bowler who led the Sri Lanka U-19 team in 2002, was killed by an unidentified assailant near his residence in Ambalangoda, where he had begun his cricketing career as a schoolboy.
Sri Lankan police suspect the murder is linked to an underworld gang rivalry.
The 41-year-old ex-cricketer was shot with a 12-bore firearm, and the perpetrator fled the scene, according to police media spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa.
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“Investigations are ongoing to apprehend the suspect involved in the shooting, which appears to be a result of gang rivalry,” the police stated.
Niroshana had fled the country after the murder of his close friend Dasun Manawadu in the Ambalangoda area but had returned to Sri Lanka just three months ago.
Police are investigating possible connections between Niroshana’s murder and the killing of first-class cricketer and former southern region cricket administrator H. Premasiri.
On August 12, 2016, Premasiri, the former President of Galle District Cricket Association, was shot by an unidentified gunman near his residence. It was suspected that Premasiri’s murder was linked to an international match-fixing racket involving games at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.
Galle is notorious for underworld activities and rival gang killings, including those involving individuals connected to cricket.
Niroshana debuted for the Sri Lanka U-19 team against Singapore in 2000. Known for his fast bowling and useful batting, he maintained a bowling average of under 30 in first-class, List A, and U-19 cricket. Although he never made it to the senior team, he played alongside future stars like Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga, and Farveez Maharoof at the U-19 level.
