Nuwan Thushara among 46 men's cricketers awarded SLC central contracts

COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Monday awarded central contracts to its 46 national men's cricketers, including right-arm seamer Nuwan Thushara, after he withdrew his lawsuit against the board in April this year.

Thushara, who was a part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squad that won the maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 2025, was retained by the franchise for the ongoing edition.

He, however, could not obtain a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the SLC on the grounds of not meeting the required fitness standards set by the cricket board for players seeking to participate in overseas franchise leagues.

In response, the pacer had filed a lawsuit against the SLC but withdrew it a week later, but since the board members with whom he was at loggerheads were ousted by the Sri Lankan government, he withdrew his case a week later while also issuing a written apology.

On the other hand, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Tharindu Ratnayake, Kamil Mishara, Lasith Croospulle, Isitha Wijesundara, Wanuja Sahan and Dilum Sudeera were awarded the SLC central contracts for the first time, while experienced batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa was left out despite featuring in the domestic cricket earlier this year.

Notably, the SLC shared that the players were graded into six different categories, but did not specify who was slotted into which categories.

It is pertinent to mention that the period of the contract runs from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

Sri Lanka's centrally contracted men's cricketers

Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Wanindu Hasaranga, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Niroshan Dickwella, Jeffrey Vandersay, Prabath Jayasuriya, Vishwa Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Eshan Malinga, Milan Rathnayake, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ramesh Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Sonal Dinusha, Sahan Arachchige, Pramod Madushan, Lasith Croospulle, Lahiru Udara, Nuwanidu Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Isitha Wijesundara, Nishan Madushka, Akila Dananjaya, Chamika Karunaratne, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Mohammed Shiraz, Wanuja Sahan, Dilum Sudeera and Tharindu Rathnayake.