Sri Lankan fast bowlers Nuvan Thushara. have withdrawn their legal case against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), ending a high-profile dispute over their participation in the IPL 2026.Thushara had earlier approached the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 IPL. The board had denied the clearance for not meeting the newly introduced fitness standards.Why did Sashara go to court?The SLC refused to issue an NOC to Thushara for IPL 2026 after he failed to meet the board’s mandatory fitness standards, notably a below-required score in the 2km run test. The fast bowler, who has represented Sri Lanka in nearly 30 T20Is since his debut in 2022, challenged the decision saying the denial was unfair and significantly affected his professional prospects. He was set to represent Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026, having previously also featured in the first season of IPL 2024 and 2025.However, during the latest hearing, Thushara’s legal team informed the court that the player wants to withdraw the application. With a major portion of the IPL season already completed, it is no longer of practical importance to pursue the case. Later, the court dismissed the case on his plea.Forgiveness and reconciliationIn a major development, Thushara also apologized to the SLC and expressed his willingness to move on from the controversy. The move signals an attempt to mend its relationship with the national board after weeks of tension.Nuvan Thishara was retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of IPL 2026 for ₹ 1.60 crore. Earlier, he was part of Mumbai Indians, who signed him for Rs 4.80 crore, and he impressed with eight wickets in his debut season.He was initially bought for Rs 1.60 crore in the 2025 mega auction, where he played one match and returned figures of 1/26.
