RCB Star Withdraws Case, Apologises To Sri Lanka Cricket Over IPL 2026 Decision
Fast bowler Nuwan Thushara, who had dragged Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to court for not issuing him a No Objection Certificate (NoC) for competing in the IPL, on Thursday withdrew the case against the governing body.
- Nuwan Thushara withdrew the case against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) over the IPL No-Objection Certificate
- He pleaded that the SLC had refused to issue him a NOC, saying that he had failed fitness tests
- He apologised to the SLC and indicated his willingness to withdraw the case
Fast bowler Nuwan Thushara, who had dragged Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to court for not issuing him a No Objection Certificate (NoC) for competing in the IPL, on Thursday withdrew the case against the governing body. The player with 30 T20 international appearances since 2022, pleaded that the SLC had refused to issue him a NOC, saying that he had failed fitness tests. His attorney told the district court that since most of the games in the IPL have already been completed, his client wished to withdraw the case which the court upheld. He apologised to the SLC and indicated his willingness to withdraw the case. Thushara was to appear for defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RSB) this season having previously played in 2024 and 2025.
Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar has attributed his side's strong start to IPL 2026 to a balance between aggressive intent and situational adaptability, as the defending champions continue to build momentum with eight points from six matches.
Speaking on the RCB Podcast, Patidar emphasised that while the team's core philosophy revolves around dominance, flexibility remains key to their success as a batting unit.
“Dominance is our mindset, but we don't want to be rigid. We want to assess the situation and adapt. That flexibility is very important for us as a batting unit,” he said on the RCB Podcast.
Patidar himself has led from the front with the bat, scoring 230 runs at an exceptional strike rate, and credited a shift in mindset as the driving force behind his evolution as a batter.
“The biggest change in my batting has come from the mind. How I see the game, how I see myself in a situation, and how I want to dominate, everything started from there. I worked on a few trigger movements and discussed it with DK. Once I was convinced, I didn't want to hold back in matches. That clarity helped me execute better,” he said.
Highlighting RCB's fearless batting template, Patidar underlined that instinct often takes precedence over rigid planning, particularly when it comes to taking on bowlers and maintaining pressure.
“There is no fixed plan that I will play a certain way. If I feel I can dominate a bowler, I go for it. It is more instinct than planning. If someone feels they can dominate a bowler, they take responsibility. Even if it means not rotating strike. The idea is to keep the bowler under pressure,” he stated.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Sri Lanka Cricket Team