Sri Lanka’s ace left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka was today nominated for the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2023.

The 23-year-old came in as an injury replacement to Dushmantha Chameera during the ICC World Cup Qualifier Tournament and he cashed in when given the opportunity.

Madushanka entered with one for 38 against The Netherlands, kicking into gear with a barnstorming three for 15-performance against Zimbabwe, taking the wickets of both openers and Wessly Madhevere at number three.

A spell of one for 49 against the West Indies followed, before a Player of the Match performance in the tournament final in another meeting with the Dutch, taking three for 18 in seven overs.

The quick, stepped up at the World Cup, claiming 11 wickets in his first four outings, with a four-for 49-performance against the Dutch again.

Madushanka went on to finish with 21 wickets at an average of 25 in the main tournament, with a five-wicket haul against India, and three for 69 against Bangladesh.

On the T20I side, six of Madushanka’s dozen wickets were claimed at the T20 Asia Cup, doing so at an economy of 25.83.

Madushanka’s name dominated the top of India’s scorecard, taking five of their top six in the heat of the Wankhede Stadium deep into the Cricket World Cup group stage.

The left-arm hushed the crowd with a ripsnorter to dismiss Rohit Sharma in the first over and returned to remove Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli in successive overs through the middle.

Madushanka went on to strike twice at the death, claiming Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer. 

(ICC)