In a stunning climb-down, Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Thushara, who had taken his cricket board to court for denying him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for IPL participation, has now extended an apology to the governing body and is considering withdrawing his case.
Sri Lanka Cricket sources said that Thushara had apologised in an e-mail to SLC, saying it was not his intention to “cause inconvenience to the governing body”.
“My sole intention throughout this process has been to seek fairness and justice, as I genuinely feel that I have been treated unfairly in this matter. The steps I initially considered were driven by a desire to have my concerns heard and addressed appropriately, rather than to create conflict or bring disrepute to the organization,” the Sri Lankan pacer wrote in his letter.
The seam bowler further apologised to the Sri Lanka Cricket board for his action, and stated that he will withdraw all the legal objections he made, taking steps against the cricket governing body of the nation.
“I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience, misunderstanding, or distress that my actions may have caused to Sri Lanka Cricket and its officials,” Nuwan Thushara said in his letter.
“With this in mind, I would like to express my willingness to withdraw any legal action and instead seek an amicable resolution to this matter. I remain hopeful that we can move forward positively and constructively,” the letter continues.
The backdown came as the SLC yesterday told the District Court here that objections will be filed on Thushara’s application for court intervention to enable his participation in the 2026 IPL.
The 31-year-old had filed a case seeking an order directing Sri Lanka Cricket to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC). the SLC had declined his request, citing failed fitness tests.
The court allowed the SLC plea and the next hearing was set for April 23.
Thushara has 30 T20 international appearances to his credit since 2022. He was to appear for the Royal Challengers Bangalore this season having previously played in 2024 and 2025.
After the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2026, Sri Lanka introduced a refreshed fitness standard to keep all of its key players.
Players, who are yet to prove their fitness levels, are restricted from receiving a NOC. Sri Lankan starts like Nuwan Thushara and Matheesha Pathirana are some of the players who are yet to get a NOC from the board.
