India, March 26 -- With Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) denying Nuwan Thushara the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), there are concerns growing over whether Matheesha Pathirana will suffer the same fate too. The Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) pace-bowling stocks are already thin and Pathirana's absence will further dent their hopes of reaching deep in the tournament.

Why did Sri Lanka Cricket not grant Nuwan Thushara the NOC?

Sri Lanka Cricket has recently made it mandatory for the players to pass fitness tests, having introduced physical performance tests. Should the cricketers wish to play overseas T20 leagues, they must pass these performance tests to feature in them. Hence, the decision on...