Former Sri Lanka U-19 cricket captain Dhammika Niroshana, 41, was shot and killed near his home in Ambalangoda. Police believe the attack might be linked to underworld activities and possibly to earlier cricket-related killings.
Former Sri Lanka U-19 cricket captain Dhammika Niroshana was shot and killed near his home in Ambalangoda on Tuesday night. He was with his wife and two children when someone opened fire. The 41-year-old was attacked with a 12-bore firearm, and police believe the shooting is linked to an underworld gang feud.
Sri Lankan police are actively investigating the case. Police spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa said, “We are working to arrest the suspect involved in the shooting, which appears to be connected to gang rivalry.” Niroshana had returned to Sri Lanka three months ago after leaving the country following the murder of his close friend, Dasun Manawadu, in the same area.
Possible Connections between Niroshana’s death and the murder of H. Premasiri:
The police are also investigating a possible connection between Niroshana’s death and the 2016 murder of H. Premasiri, a first-class cricketer and former cricket administrator for the southern region. Premasiri was shot near his home, and his murder was believed to be linked to an international match-fixing ring involving games at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.
Background on Galle’s Underworld Activities
Galle is known for its underworld activities and gang-related killings, and some of the victims have been connected to cricket. This makes the investigation into Niroshana’s murder even more complicated.
Dhammika Niroshana’s Cricket Career
Niroshana started playing for the Sri Lankan U19 team in 2000, where he played under-19 Test and ODI cricket for two years. He was known as a fast bowler who could also bat well, maintaining a bowling average of under 30 in first-class, List A, and U-19 cricket. Although he didn’t advance to the senior national team, he played alongside future stars like Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga, and Farveez Maharoof in the U-19 team.
Between 2001 and 2004, he played 12 first-class matches and 8 List A games for the Galle Cricket Club, scoring over 300 runs and taking 19 wickets.
