With only two days left for IPL 2026 to begin, the defending champions RCB have suffered a big blow as their pacer Nuwan Thushara is set to miss the entire season.
According to a Newswire report, Nuwan Thushara is set to miss the IPL 2026 after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) refused to give him a No Objection Certificate (NOC). He has reportedly failed to meet the required fitness standards.
He was part of the IPL 2025 title-winning squad and was retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for INR 1.60 crore ahead of the auction.
Nuwan Thushara has played only one match for RCB. It came against Lucknow Super Giants in the last league game of the season, where he bowled a spell of 1/26 in four overs.
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The selectors have taken a strict decision, especially after the team was without its main pacers in the recent T20 World Cup 2026.
With important matches and upcoming ICC tournaments ahead, Sri Lanka Cricket is now taking a more careful approach to manage player fitness.
The board is giving the clearance only to players who passed the new fitness tests. On the other hand, Eshan Malinga received a NOC to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Several Sri Lankan players, including Dushmantha Chameera, Dasun Shanaka, Pathum Nissanka, and Kamindu Mendis, have already passed the tests and received approval to play in the IPL. However, there is still uncertainty over players like Matheesha Pathirana and Wanindu Hasaranga.
With Josh Hazlewood set to miss the initial matches of the IPL 2026 season, Nuwan Thushara and Jacob Duffy were expected to step in as backups and fight for a place in the playing XI. It would likely have been a direct choice between the two.
However, with Nuwan Thushara now set to miss the tournament, Jacob Duffy is likely to become the main overseas pacer for the defending champions until Josh Hazlewood returns.
The situation becomes tougher as Yash Dayal will also miss IPL 2026 due to personal reasons.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will begin their campaign on the opening day of the season with a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
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