Nuwan Thushara Biography: Birthday, Career, Stats and Records

Nuwan Thushara is a Sri Lankan fast bowler who represents the national side in T20 internationals and features in domestic T20 leagues.

Born on 6 August 1994, Nuwan Thushara is a right‑arm fast bowler who features in Sri Lanka’s Twenty20 International side. He debuted against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 13 February 2022 and, as of October 2026, has played 32 matches, taking 33 wickets at an average of 26.7 with a best of 5/20. His economy of 8.32 and strike‑rate of 23.08 highlight his wicket‑taking role.

Domestically, Thushara made his first‑class debut for Sinhalese Sports Club on 26 December 2015 and his List A debut for Colombo Cricket Club on 10 March 2018. He has played in the Lanka Premier League for the Galle Gladiators since 2020 and featured in the IPL, appearing in eight matches and taking nine wickets at 31.44, with a best of 3/28 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians.

Nuwan Thushara: quick facts

Born: 6 August 1994
Team: Sri Lanka

Nuwan Thushara career statistics

Batting

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Highest	Average	Strike rate	100s	50s
T20Is	32	11	6	2*	6.00	23.08	0	0
IPL	8	0	0	–	–	–	0	0

Bowling

Format	Matches	Wickets	Best	Average	Economy
T20Is	32	33	5/20	26.70	8.32
IPL	8	9	3/28	31.44	9.43

Figures as of 12 November 2026. Figures from Cricsheet (cricsheet.org), Open Data Commons Attribution licence.

Nuwan Thushara’s early life

Nuwan Thushara was born on 6 August 1994 in Sri Lanka. He attended Thalawa Kanitu Vidyalaya in Alpitiya, where he first took up cricket under the guidance of school coaches. The school’s emphasis on fast bowling helped him develop the slinging action that later defined his professional style. He represented the school in inter‑school competitions, showcasing pace and accuracy that attracted attention from local clubs.

His performances at school earned him a place in the Sinhalese Sports Club youth set‑up, providing a pathway to senior domestic cricket. Coaches noted his natural slinging action, reminiscent of former Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga, which set him apart from his peers. He devoted extra hours to fitness and bowling drills, aiming to increase his speed and consistency. These efforts laid the foundation for his entry into senior club cricket in his early twenties.

Nuwan Thushara’s domestic career

Thushara made his first‑class debut for Sinhalese Sports Club in the 2015–16 Premier League Tournament on 26 December 2015. He later debuted in List A cricket for Colombo Cricket Club during the 2017–18 Premier Limited Overs Tournament on 10 March 2018, establishing himself as a pace option in Sri Lanka’s domestic circuit. His performances earned him regular selection and helped the side compete strongly in the tournament.

Thushara entered the Lanka Premier League when he was drafted by the Galle Gladiators for the inaugural 2020 edition, and he continued with the franchise in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In the Indian Premier League he was acquired by Royal Challengers Bengaluru and later by Mumbai Indians, playing eight matches and taking nine wickets at an average of 31.44, with a best of 3/28.

Nuwan Thushara’s international career

Nuwan Thushara made his Twenty20 International debut for Sri Lanka against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 13 February 2022. Up to October 2026 he has appeared in 32 T20I matches, delivering 33 wickets at an average of 26.7, an economy of 8.32 and a strike‑rate of 23.08, with his best figures of 5/20. He is primarily used as a strike bowler, often opening the attack or bowling in the death overs.

In the third T20I of Sri Lanka’s tour of Bangladesh on 9 March 2024, Thushara claimed his first T20I hat‑trick and recorded his maiden five‑wicket haul, finishing with 5/20 at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. He repeated his wicket‑taking form later that year with 4/18 against Bangladesh in Dallas and 3/24 against the Netherlands in St Lucia. His performances secured his selection for Sri Lanka’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Nuwan Thushara’s franchise and league career

Thushara entered the Indian Premier League in 2024, first appearing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against the Rajasthan Royals at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on 22 April 2024. He later played for Mumbai Indians, with his latest IPL appearance on 27 May 2025. Across eight IPL matches he has taken nine wickets at an average of 31.44, with a best performance of 3/28 against Lucknow Super Giants at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 17 May 2024.

Within Sri Lanka’s franchise circuit, Thushara has been a consistent pick for the Galle Gladiators since the league’s inception, featuring in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 editions of the Lanka Premier League. His pace and ability to take wickets in the middle overs have made him a valuable asset for the Gladiators, contributing to their competitive performances in each season.

Nuwan Thushara’s playing style

Nuwan Thushara bowls right‑arm fast with a distinctive slinging action that has drawn comparisons to former Sri Lankan paceman Lasith Malinga. His delivery stride is low and his arm comes around horizontally, enabling him to generate pace and awkward angles for batsmen. He typically operates as a strike bowler, opening the attack or delivering in the death overs, relying on swing and yorkers to trouble opponents.

Thushara’s strengths lie in his ability to extract bounce on faster pitches and to bowl at a brisk pace, while maintaining a respectable economy of 8.32 in T20 internationals. He mixes slower balls and cutters with his standard delivery, aiming to deceive batsmen in the middle overs and to produce wicket‑taking opportunities. These attributes have helped him become a regular selection for Sri Lanka’s T20 side and a sought‑after player in franchise leagues.