Colombo, March 20 – The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board has decided to conduct mandatory fitness tests for its players before issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for their participation in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which begins on March 28.
This decision comes as several Sri Lankan players, selected by different franchises, are currently recovering from injuries.
According to a report by Cricbuzz, the tests are expected to be held early next week in Colombo, and only those who meet the required fitness standards will be allowed to participate in the IPL.
Among the prominent players awaiting clearance are bowler Matheesha Pathirana (Kolkata Knight Riders), experienced spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (Lucknow Super Giants), left-arm fast bowler Eshan Malinga (Sunrisers Hyderabad), and Nuwan Thushara (Royal Challengers Bengaluru).
In total, seven Sri Lankan players have been selected for the upcoming season. Others include Dushmantha Chameera and Pathum Nissanka (both Delhi Capitals), along with Kamindu Mendis (Sunrisers Hyderabad).
Multiple IPL franchise officials have said that they will receive an update on the Sri Lankan stars once their scheduled fitness tests are completed.
"There are fitness tests scheduled by SLC on Monday and Tuesday, and we will know about their players only after that," officials of multiple IPL franchises told Cricbuzz.
Several of these players, including Pathirana, Hasaranga, Malinga, and Thushara, had partially or fully missed the recently concluded ICC Men's T20 World Cup due to injuries. Hasaranga, in particular, has been sidelined since February 8 after suffering a left hamstring strain during a match against Ireland. Pathirana, meanwhile, featured in three matches before being ruled out.
As a result of these injuries, Sri Lanka, despite being the hosts of the 2026 T20 World Cup, crashed out of the Super 8s stage. However, the team performed well in the group stage, where they registered three wins in four matches, including defeating the 2021 champions, Australia, which led to the Mitchell Marsh-led team being eliminated from the group stage for the first time.