Decided to skip A/L by one year to concentrate on Youth World Cup – Wellalage  

by Reemus Fernando  

Sri Lanka Under 19 cricket captain Dunith Wellalage said that he decided to skip the Advanced Level exam by a year to concentrate on the ICC Youth World Cup 2022 which will commence in West Indies on Friday.

“I decided to sit for the A/L exam a year later so that I can concentrate on the Youth World Cup. The exams got postponed and there was uncertainty. So I decided to take it a year later,” said Wellalage in reply to a query by The Island yesterday.

The Sri Lanka Under 19 captain was speaking to media during an ICC arranged online interview.

Incidentally, a couple of years ago, the St. Joseph’s College all rounder sacrificed an opportunity to play for Sri Lanka Under 19s to concentrate on his O/L exam. The rare move came in for praise then. He had already established his place as a promising spinner in the Under 19 squad when he decided to shift his focus on to education.

However, there are several Sri Lanka Under 19 cricketers who will be sitting the A/L exam early next month.

In case of Sri Lank Under 19 reaching the final of the ICC Youth Cricket World Cup, some of the junior cricketers currently in the West Indies will be going straight for the A/L exam on their arrival as they are set to land in Colombo on February 8.

Not many juniors had concentrated on their education after they had been picked for Sri Lanka Under 19s. Asked about the cricketers’ preparation for the A/L exam Wellalage said “they are attending classes online and are preparing for the exam as well.”

Nalandian Raveen de Silva, Trinity’s Matheesha Pathirana and St. Anthony’s player Chamindu Wickramasinghe are set to sit for A/L exam on their arrival.

 Sri Lanka will commence their ICC Youth World Cup campaign against Scotland Under 19s on the opening day of the World Cup on Friday. They are drawn in a tough group which also includes hosts West Indies and Australia. The country has never won the ICC Youth World Cup and Wellalage expressed hopes of doing well at this edition.