From Dunith Wellalage To Virat Kohli: Players Who Suffered Personal Tragedies During On-Field Duty

Sri Lanka all-rounder Dunith Wellalage couldn't even get time to celebrate the team's victory over Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2025 Group B clash on Thursday as the news of his father's death broke. Though Dunith's father had died well before the match was over, the team management decided that it was best to inform the player of the tragedy once the game was over. Dunith understandably decided to fly back home from Abu Dhabi after getting to know of the tragedy. But, it isn't the first time cricketers had to handle such personal heartaches while on sporting duties.

The likes of Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Rashid Khan, etc. have had similar issues to face in the past. We take a look at their stories:

Virat Kohli (India): In 2006, an 18-year-old Virat Kohli was playing a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi when he got to know of his father, Prem Kohli's death. He was batting overnight on 40 for the state team. What Virat did next, however, laid the foundation of his legacy. The batter, despite the devastating news, returned to the field the next morning and scored a crucial 90 runs to save his team from a follow-on.

Sachin Tendulkar (India): Arguably the greatest batter of all time, Sachin Tendulkar also had to deal with a personal tragedy during the 1999 ICC World Cup. His father, Ramesh Tendulkar, died, prompting him to fly back to India from England for the funeral, missing a match against Zimbabwe. Realising that national duty was also on stake, Sachin flew back for the next match against Kenya and scored century (140 not out), dedicating it to his father.

Mohammed Siraj (India): Mohammed Siraj was with the Indian team during the tour of Australia in 2020 when the news of his father's death emerged. Due to COVID-19 protocols and the travel restrictions at the time, Siraj had an incredibly difficult call to make, which is to stay with the Indian team in Australia. It was in this series that the pacer made his Test debut in the same series and played a crucial role in the team's historic series win.

Rashid Khan (Afghanistan): Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan was playing for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League in 2018 when he came to know about his father's death. He chose to remain with his team and played the next day, putting cricketing commitments over personal tragedies, showing immense courage at a young age.

Dunith Wellalage (Sri Lanka): The most recent case of such a personal loss, Sri Lankan all-rounder Dunith Wellalage was informed of his father's death just after his team's Asia Cup victory over Afghanistan. His father had reportedly had a heart attack while the game was still going on, and died. Dunith chose to return home after the game.

Topics mentioned in this article

Sri Lanka Cricket Team Afghanistan Virat Kohli Dunith Wellalage Sachin Tendulkar Mohammed Siraj Rashid Khan Asia Cup 2025 Cricket