3 teams that could target Dunith Wellalage in IPL 2024 ft. Sunrisers Hyderabad 

Chants of “Wella, Wella” resounded within the R Premadasa Stadium for a 20-year-old youngster, Dunith Wellalage during the all-important clash against India in the Asia Cup 2023 on September 12. He was getting the loudest of cheers, and why not? In his short and nascent international career, Wellalage has made a name for himself.

Having captained Sri Lanka at the Under-19 World Cup held in the West Indies in 2022, Dunith Wellalage is seen as the next big name coming out of the island. A very capable middle-order batter who bowls crafty left-arm spin, he is beginning to become a priceless asset for Sri Lanka.

His bowling action helps him get the natural drift that comes in for the batsmen before spinning away from them. He also possesses an arm ball and uses sliders when needed.

Dunith Wellalage is one of those smart operators in white-ball cricket that every team desires. Add to this, his handy batting abilities and live-wire presence on the field and he is one of those complete packages that teams dream of having.

The youngster is not perfect and needs to polish his skills, but he is surely a great prospect to invest in. Many IPL teams will be keeping a close eye on the strides Wellalage makes in international cricket.

We take a look at the IPL teams that might look to rope in Dunith Wellalage at the next IPL auction.

3 teams that could target Dunith Wellalage in IPL 2024

#3 Mumbai Indians

One of the biggest IPL franchises after winning five titles, the Mumbai Indians now seem to have found answers to the questions raised after the mega-auction, where they really got stuck with their plans.

With Jasprit Bumrah coming back into his groove, Nehal Wadhera coming into his own, and batting looking super strong, the only concern for the Rohit Sharma-led side is the absence of quality spinners in their ranks.

MI were one of the worst sides in terms of picking up wickets in middle overs with a lower economy despite veteran Piyush Chawla having a dream season this year. In Dunith Wellalage, MI could target a possible all-rounder spot and a strong match-up against right-handed batting units like RCB.

#2 Punjab Kings

A team full of flair, the Punjab Kings, like RCB and the Delhi Capitals, have never been able to lift that coveted IPL trophy. With such a promising squad and a lot of match winners, they have somehow faltered at critical junctures of the competition.

The side possess one of the most fearsome batting line-ups but still struggle with their bowling, especially in the spin department.

Punjab do have a leg-spin option in Rahul Chahar and a left-arm spin option in Harpreet Brar in their squad, but the latter has failed to make any mark so far with both bat and ball.

This is where Dunith Wellalage could enter the picture. He can provide that quality for the Punjab Kings in that department and also serve as a backup option for Sikandar Raza.

#1 Sunrisers Hyderabad

If one team disappointed big time in this year's IPL, then it has to be Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite assembling one of the strongest squads on paper, the side ended the season with the wooden spoon.

But as they say, cricket is not played on paper.

One of the main reasons behind their failures was a weak spin department. They did have Adil Rashid and Mayank Markande to bolster their spin department, but besides the latter's resurgence in the second half of the tournament, nothing went SRH's way.

Dunith Wellalage will not only complement Markande but will also provide a cushion for the batters at the top to play freely.