Sri Lanka’s emerging fast bowler, Nuwan Thushara, marked his debut in the SA20 during the clash against Paarl Royals on January 21. Substituting for England’s Olly Stone, Thushara demonstrated immediate impact, concluding with a commendable performance of 4-0-27-2. His pivotal contributions aided MI Cape Town in restricting their adversaries to 162 for 3 in the allotted 20 overs.
The 18th over showcased Thushara’s prowess as he found himself on the brink of a hat-trick, dismissing Jos Buttler and Fabian Allen consecutively at Boland Park. Buttler, who had amassed 54 runs, fell victim to Thushara’s full-length delivery, losing his stumps in the process. Thushara’s deceptive slower delivery then outsmarted Allen, catching him off guard and leading to an LBW dismissal—a move reminiscent of the legendary Lasith Malinga’s baffling techniques.
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Nuwan Thushara adding to the heat in Paarl 🔥#Betway #SA20 #WelcomeToIncredible #PRvMICT pic.twitter.com/Iiy4Jr98Yr
— Betway SA20 (@SA20_League) January 21, 2024
Thushara’s impressive performance in the SA20 follows his recent selection by the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2024. Amidst a competitive bidding war involving Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore, Thushara secured a notable INR 4.8 crore contract, a substantial leap from his base price of INR 50 lakhs. His IPL journey will provide an opportunity to refine his skills under the guidance of Malinga, the IPL’s all-time leading wicket-taker, who also bestowed Thushara with his maiden SA20 cap.
Having participated in six T20 matches to date, Thushara boasts six wickets at an economy rate of 9.21. Notably, he has achieved three four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul in T20s. While Thushara was part of the Sri Lankan squad for the T20I series against Zimbabwe, his on-field appearances were limited to a single match. His promising trajectory suggests a burgeoning career on the horizon.
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