Sri Lanka deny NOC to RCB-bound Nuwan Thushara for IPL 2026

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have suffered a further setback ahead of the new Indian Premier League (IPL) season, with Sri Lankan seamer Nuwan Thushara set to miss the start of the campaign after being denied a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) by his home board.

The development compounds RCB’s growing bowling concerns. The franchise had already lost pace bowler Yash Dayal and faces uncertainty over the availability of Australian quick Josh Hazlewood for the 2026 tournament.

It is understood that Thushara failed a fitness test mandated by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), a prerequisite for receiving the necessary NOC to participate in the league.

Ashley de Silva, the chief executive of SLC, confirmed on Friday that Thushara had not met the required benchmark. The test comprises five different metrics, with a pass score set at 17 out of a maximum of 29 points.

As a result, Thushara will be unavailable for RCB’s opening fixture—the season’s curtain-raiser against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru on Saturday. He is also expected to miss the side’s second match, against Chennai Super Kings at the same venue on April 5.

Should he fail a subsequent attempt, he may be barred from playing any representative cricket for the foreseeable future. However, he is eligible to retake the fitness test after a mandatory gap of four to five days.

Two other prominent Sri Lanka internationals, Matheesha Pathirana and Wanindu Hasaranga, are also managing injuries and have yet to undergo their fitness tests to secure NOCs for the IPL.

Hasaranga, who was acquired by Lucknow Super Giants for INR 2 crore in the most recent auction, and Pathirana, who joined Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for INR 18 crore, are both sidelined. 

KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar stated on March 20 that Pathirana would miss the team’s early matches and was expected to link up with the squad around mid-April.

The pace bowler, who was ruled out of the 2026 T20 World Cup after sustaining a calf strain, is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

Hasaranga’s campaign at the same tournament was also cut short by a hamstring injury.