Former Sri Lanka youth cricket captain Dhammika Niroshana became the latest victim of gun violence in the country when he was shot and killed near his home at Ambalangoda on Tuesday.
Niroshana captained the Sri Lanka under-19 team at the Youth World Cup in New Zealand in 2002 and had the likes of Fervez Maharoof, Jeewan Mendis, Dhammika Prasad and Upul Tharanga who made it to the senior team.
Niroshana played against cricketers in the mould Dwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy (West Indies), Suresh Raina (India), Tim Bresnan (England), Ross Taylor (New Zealand), Salman Butt (Pakistan), Shuan Marsh and Cemeron White (Australia) who featured in the 2002 World Cup and went on to play for their respective countries at senior Test level.
On leaving school Niroshana turned out for Galle Cricket Club and Sinha Sports Club Ambalangoda. He was one of the promising allrounders who bowled medium pace during his era and a product of Sri Devenanda College Ambalangoda and quit playing at the young age of 22.
