Nuwan Thushara

Ilandari Dewage Nuwan Thushara, born on 6 August 1994, is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer known for his contributions in T20Is for the national team. Renowned for his fast bowling and distinctive slinging action, Thushara marked his international debut for the Sri Lankan cricket team in February 2022 against Australia. He received his education at Thalawa Kanitu Vidyalaya, Alpitiya.

Thushara commenced his first-class career representing Sinhalese Sports Club in the 2015–16 Premier League Tournament, debuting on 26 December 2015. His List A debut came for Colombo Cricket Club in the 2017–18 Premier Limited Overs Tournament on 10 March 2018. Notably, he was drafted by the Galle Gladiators for the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League in October 2020. Subsequently, he participated in various domestic tournaments, including the 2021 SLC Invitational T20 League representing the SLC Greens. Thushara rejoined the Galle Gladiators for the third edition of the Lanka Premier League in July 2022.

In a significant move, Thushara was acquired by the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians during the IPL 2024 auction for a substantial amount of 4.8 crores INR.

Thushara's international journey began with his inclusion in Sri Lanka's One Day International (ODI) squad for their series against Zimbabwe in January 2022. Following this, he earned a spot in Sri Lanka's Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for their series against Australia later in the month. Thushara made his T20I debut on 13 February 2022, representing Sri Lanka against Australia. He was also named in Sri Lanka's One Day International (ODI) squad for their home series against Australia in June 2022, showcasing his growing prominence in the national setup.