Sri Lankan fast bowler Nuwan Thushara (Image: IANS) Sri Lankan fast bowler Nuwan Thushara has withdrawn his legal case against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), ending the high-profile dispute over his participation in the 2026 IPL.Thesehara had earlier moved the Colombo District Court after the SLC refused to grant him a No Objection Certificate (NOC), a mandatory requirement for Sri Lankan players to feature in overseas leagues such as the IPL. The board denied the permit, citing his failure to meet newly introduced fitness standards.
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RCB’s big changes ahead of IPL: New rules, tribute and squad update Why Thesehara went to courtThe SLC refused to grant NOC to Thesehar for IPL 2026 after he failed to meet the board’s mandatory eligibility norms, namely not achieving the required score in the 2km run test. Temper, who has represented Sri Lanka in around 30 T20Is since his debut in 2022, challenged the decision, claiming the rejection was unfair and significantly affected his career opportunities. He was scheduled to represent Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026, having previously appeared in the earlier seasons of IPL 2024 and 2025.However, during the latest hearing, Alsohara’s legal team informed the court that the player wishes to withdraw the application. As the main part of the IPL season was already completed, there was no longer any practical value in pursuing this case. The court subsequently dismissed the case at his request.Apology and reconciliationIn a significant development, Thushara also apologized to the SLC and expressed his willingness to move on from the dispute. The move signals an attempt to mend its relationship with the national committee after weeks of tension.Royal Challengers Bengaluru have retained Nuwan Thushara for ₹1.60 crore ahead of IPL 2026. He was earlier part of Mumbai Indians, who signed him for Rs 4.80 crore, and he impressed by taking eight wickets in his debut season.He was originally bought for Rs 1.60 crore in the 2025 mega auction where he appeared in one match and returned figures of 1/26.
