Nuwan Thushara

Nuwan Thushara, another Sri Lankan player making a mark with a slingy action and fiery pace bowling. He took a while to break into the international landscape, but promises to be an asset for Sri Lankan cricket and in franchise teams around the world.

Although seven years older than co-slinger Matheesha Pathirana, Tushara and his younger compatriot form an unorthodox and dangerous battery of pace bowling who opposition batters would hate to face. Thushara made his start in soft-ball cricket, but plied his trade in Sri Lankan domestic cricket after making his debut for Sinhalese Sports Club in 2015.

Thushara would be picked up by Galle Gladiators in the inaugural Lanka Premier League in 2020, where he is one of the leading wicket-takers with 49 wickets across 36 matches. His performances in the domestic league earned him a debut for Sri Lanka in February 2022 on the tour to Australia.

Although he has only played 11 T20Is for Sri Lanka, he has picked 19 wickets at an average of 14.57, including a hat-trick against Bangladesh. He was one of the few capped internationals who travelled to the Asian Games tournament in China in 2023, and picked four wickets in the only match he played in that tournament.

Thushara also had success in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he finished as Sri Lanka’s leading wicket-taker in a disappointing tournament for the Lankans. He claimed eight wickets in three matches at an impressive average of just 7.50.

Thushara has impressed in limited opportunities, and the excitement behind his unique action and wicket-taking ability prompted Mumbai Indians to buy him in the IPL auction for INR 4.8 crore, making him the most expensive Sri Lankan player in that auction. Thushara also had an impressive IPL outing, taking eight wickets in seven matches.

Nuwan Thushara certainly has a few bowling traits of Malinga, who is part of Sri Lanka’s coaching staff. Malinga rates him highly and says he saw some of himself in the younger pacer from Colombo, and spoke of how having two such unorthodox and tricky bowlers gave Sri Lanka’s bowling an edge. The island nation will be hoping that Malinga’s words prove prophetic, and that Thushara can be one of the key pieces to take Sri Lanka back to the top of international cricket.