Sri Lankan fast bowler Nuwan Thachara (Photo: IANS)
Sri Lanka fast bowler Nuwan Thushara has withdrawn his legal case against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), bringing an end to a high-profile dispute over his participation in IPL 2026.Thushara had earlier moved to the Colombo District Court after the SLC refused to grant him a No Objection Certificate (NOC), which is a mandatory requirement for Sri Lankan players to participate in overseas leagues such as the Indian Premier League.
The board denied the statement citing his failure to meet newly introduced fitness standards.Why did Thashara go to court?The SLC refused to issue a NOC to Thuhara for IPL 2026 after he failed to meet the mandatory fitness standards issued by the board, specifically failing to achieve the required score in the 2km running test. The player, who has represented Sri Lanka in around 30 T20Is since his debut in 2022, objected to the decision, arguing that the rejection was unfair and significantly affected his career prospects.
He is set to represent Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026, having previously featured in the previous seasons of IPL 2024 and 2025.However, during the last hearing, Thusara’s legal team informed the court that the player wished to withdraw the petition. With much of the IPL season already completed, continuing the case is no longer of practical value. The court subsequently rejected the case at his request.
Apology and reconciliationIn a significant development, Thushara also apologized to SLC and expressed his willingness to move forward with the dispute. The move signals an attempt to mend his relationship with the National Council after weeks of tension.Nuwan Thuhara has been retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of IPL 2026 for Rs 1.60 crore. Earlier, he was part of Mumbai Indians, who signed him for Rs 4.80 crore, and impressed in his debut season by picking up eight wickets.He was initially bought for Rs 1.60 crore in the 2025 Mega Auction, where he appeared in one match and returned the figures 1/26.