Grief shook the cricket world on July 16, 2024 when news of Dhammika Niroshana’s murder got on the news. The former Sri Lanka cricketer and youth team skipper was shot dead at his Ambalangoda residence in a shocking turn of events. He was 41 years old.
How Was Dhammika Niroshana Murdered?
Dhammika was killed in front of his children and wife in an unfortunate attack on his property. Reports suggest that the former cricketer was targeted by a yet-to-be-identified assailant while outside his home. The sporting community continues to mourn his shocking passing in a terrible year for Sri Lankan cricket so far. Tributes from local and international figures continue to pour in, celebrating the cricketer’s life and career.
What is the Sri Lankan Police Saying about Niroshana’s Murder?
A Sri Lanka Police spokesperson confirmed the incident in an interview and said investigators are already on the case:
“Investigations are underway to arrest the suspect involved in the shooting which seemed to be a result of a gang rivalry,” the spokesperson said.
The citation of a possible gang rivalry shocked cricket fans. Sri Lanka cricket fans and others abroad await the findings after investigations by the local police.
A Glance at Niroshana’s Cricket Career
Dhammika was not the most-popular Sri Lankan cricketer during his playing days and never made it big with the national team. He had his debut in the under-19s in 2000 and played for Galle Sports Club in local tournaments.
His fast-bowling skills were remarkable, and he doubled his pacing talent with casual bowling. The highlight of his international career came when he was made captain of Sri Lanka’s under-19s in 2002. Dhammika will go on to feature in several games for Sri Lanka’s youth side as skipper. However, he never made it big in the Men’s senior team.
He was the youth skipper to future stars like Angelo Matthews, Farveez Maharoof, and Upul Tharanga. Niroshana featured in a dozen First Class matches and eight List A games as a senior international.
List of Popular Cricketers Who Were Murdered
The world of cricket has had to endure several tragedies in its centuries-long history. Cricketers have met their sad end at the hands of murderers since the 1900s as we’ll see on this list:
| Player | Nationality | Events surrounding death | Date of death | |
| 1 | Edward Wright | England | Died in a riot in Jamaica. | 23 November 1904 |
| 2 | Claude Tozer | Australia | Died after sustaining gunshot wounds from a patient (Tozer was a medical doctor apart too). | 21 December 1920 |
| 3 | Robert Makant | England | Died in active service in disputed Kurdistan. | 18 June 1922 |
| 4 | Norman Reid | South Africa | Died after sustaining gunshot wounds by his wife. | 5–6 June 1947 |
| 5 | Huntsman Williams | Rhodesia | Died after his vehicle was hit with a rocket in Rhodesia. | 3 August 1978 |
| 6 | Jeff Stollmeyer | Trinidad and Tobago | Shot five times and beaten to death in his home. | 10 September 1989 |
| 7 | Muni Lal | India | Killed along with his wife by burglars. | 8 January 1990 |
| 8 | Haseeb-ul-Hasan | Pakistan | Shot by unknown assailant. | 18 April 1990 |
| 9 | William Strydom | South Africa | Shot during a theft incident. | 20 February 1995 |
| 10 | Mahinda Jayaratne | Sri Lanka | Died few days after sustaining bullet wounds from a biker assassin. | 15 March 1997 |
| 11 | Ashley Harvey-Walker | South Africa | Died after sustaining gunshot wounds in a Jo’burg bar. | 28 April 1997 |
| 12 | Wirantha Fernando | Sri Lanka | Died after sustaining injuries from mob violence. | 17 April 2000 |
| 13 | Francois Weideman | South Africa | Died after sustaining gunshot wounds in a robbery incident. | 4 June 2001 |
| 14 | Nezam Hafiz | United States | Died at the World Trade Center Bombing on September 11, 2001. | 11 September 2001 |
| 15 | Mark Parker | New Zealand | Was a casualty in the Bali bombings. | 12 October 2002 |
| 16 | Rahatullah | Pakistan | Shot dead. | 11 February 2008 |
| 17 | Charles Lwanga | Uganda | Died after beatings with iron bars by unidentified criminals. | 2 November 2010 |
| 18 | Louis Vorster | Namibia | Died after sustaining gunshot wounds in a robbery incident. | 18 April 2012 |
| 19 | Errol Peart | United States | Died after sustaining gunshot wounds while helping an attempted robbery victim. | 2 December 2012 |
| 20 | Kuntal Chandra | Bangladesh | Lifeless body found outside Dhaka. | 2 December 2012 |
| 21 | John Commins | South Africa | Lifeless body found in his Cape Town home. | 3 January 2013 |
| 22 | Fiqre Crockwell | Bermuda | Shot dead. | 20 June 2016 |
| 23 | William Haye | Jamaica | Shot dead. | 18 March 2019 |
| 24 | Dinesh Schaffter | Sri Lanka | Lifeless body found gagged and tied up in his car. | 16 December 2022 |
| 25 | Dhammika Niroshana | Sri Lanka | Shot dead outside his home. | 17 July 2024 |
