Nuwan Thushara, aka Podi Malinga, is an orthodox Sri Lankan player who has come into spotlight with his unorthodox slinging bowling action a la Lasith Malinga. He was born on 6 August 1994 and has played for Sri Lanka in limited overs cricket and made an impact in the IPL playing with the Mumbai Indians. He became the 5th Sri Lankan bowler to do a hat-trick in T20 Internationals and thereby demonstrated that he can perform at the international arena. His story of cracking cricket in small towns to the national and international scene is amazingly wonderful.
Nuwan Thushara is popular because of his slinging-arm bowling technique that made him be identified as the little Malinga. He has featured in various local leagues in the world such as Lanka Premier League, Pakistan Super League, ILT20 and IPL.
Field
Details
Full Name
Ilandari Dewage Nuwan Thushara
Nickname
Podi Malinga
Profession
Cricketer (Bowler)
Date of Birth
6 August 1994 (Saturday)
Birthplace
Thalawa, Alpitiya, Sri Lanka
Nationality
Sri Lankan
Religion
Buddhism
Batting Style
Right-hand Bat
Bowling Style
Right-arm Medium Fast
Jersey Number
#53 (Sri Lanka)
IPL Team
Mumbai Indians
Nuwan Thushara Age & Physical Status
Nuwan Thushara is 31 years old as of 2025. He was born 6 August 1994 in Thalawa, Sri Lanka. He entered the professional cricket career a bit late in life as compared to the other players but rose to the ranks quickly due to his steady performance.
Detail
Information
Age (2025)
31 Years
Zodiac
Leo
Nuwan Thushara is athletic, and such a feature adds to his fast-bowling skills. His bowling action is the highlight of him His pace and sling-arm action can be surprising to anyone and can leave the batters guessing at a time.
Measurement
Detail
Height
5’7″ (170 cm)
Weight
70–72 kg (approx.)
Eye Colour
Black
Hair Colour
Black
Educational Qualifications
Nuwan did his preliminary education at Thalawa Junior National School, Elpitiya, Sri Lanka. He was more interested in cricket than in academics and his school supported the interest.
Detail
Information
School
Thalawa Junior National School, Elpitiya
Higher Studies
Not Known
Early Life
Nuwan Thushara is a middle-class family born in Thalawa, Sri Lanka. His father, Illandari Dewage, and mother, Nirmala Dewage, were very supportive in ensuring his early life led to his choice of going into cricket. He also has a brother Isuru Thushara who has supported him all through his career. Under the constant support of his family, Nuwan was able to transform his lifelong interest in tennis ball cricket into a professional career that later resulted in the international representation of Sri Lanka.
Family Members
Family Member
Name
Role/Details
Father
Illandari Dewage
Supportive figure in his cricket journey
Mother
Nirmala Dewage
Encouraged and motivated him
Brother
Isuru Thushara
Always supportive
Upbringing
–
Raised in a supportive, middle-class Sri Lankan family
Personal Life and Marrital Status
Nuwan Thushara has married Sanduni Iresha, although in his private life he manages not to attract the attention of the media. The duo has not publicly announced how they got into the relationship, but Nuwan likes to keep privacy intact. The couple may have a son, though some reports and social media inclinations have not confirmed it. His past relationships are unknown and his family is not in the spotlights of the world at all.
Detail
Information
Marital Status
Married
Spouse
Sanduni Iresha
Children
Reportedly has a son (unconfirmed)
Past Affairs
None publicly known
Privacy
Keeps personal matters private
Nuwan Thushara Professional Career
It is about Nuwan Thushara and his cricket career is all about struggle and hard-work.
Domestic / Club Career
First-class debut 26 December 2015 (2015- 2016 Premier League Tournament) First-class debut (Sinhalese Sports Club).
He made his debut on 10 March 2018 playing in Colombo cricket club.
Played in the Lanka Premier League in the teams of Galle Titans and Jaffna Kings.
Played franchises in the different leagues around the world such as Quetta Gladiators (PSL), MI Cape Town (SA20), Dubai Capitals (ILT20), and Deccan Gladiators (T10).
International Career
T20I debut: 2022 v India (later came to be regarded as a regular bowler).
He took a hat-trick and five-wicket haul against Bangladesh in T20 internationals, making headlines amid the media worldwide on 9 March 2024.
IPL Career
In 2024, he was signed by Mumbai Indians.
IPL debut: 22 April 2024 vs Rajasthan Royals.
Career Format
Debut
Opponent
Venue
ODI
13 Feb 2022
Australia
Sydney
Test
Did Not Play
–
–
T20I
2022
India
–
IPL
22 Apr 2024
Rajasthan Royals
India
Nuwan Thushara Stats
Career Bowling Stats
Format
Matches
Wickets
Economy
Average
T20I (2022–)
21
29
7.70
18.0
IPL (2024–)
8
9
9.43
31.4
1st Class (2015–19)
5
2
4.56
118.5
List A (2018–)
44
50
5.17
23.6
T20 (2022–)
123
165
8.10
19.6
Career Batting Stats
Format
Matches
Runs
Average
Strike Rate
T20I (2022–)
21
9
4.5
52.9
1st Class (2015–19)
5
2
0.7
8.0
List A (2018–)
44
10
2.5
12.5
T20 (2022–)
123
40
3.0
67.8
Career Fielding Stats
Format
Catches
Run Outs
Stumpings
T20I (2022–)
2
0
0
IPL (2024–)
1
1
0
1st Class (2015–19)
1
1
0
List A (2018–)
6
0
0
Recent Matches
Match
Bowl
Date
Ground
Format
SLC Greens vs Greys
0/20
16-Aug-2025
Colombo (SSC)
T20
SLC Greens vs SLC Blues
1/18
11-Aug-2025
Colombo (SSC)
T20
SLC Greens vs Greys
2/42
10-Aug-2025
Colombo (SSC)
T20
SLC Greens vs SLC Blues
2/36
07-Aug-2025
Colombo (SSC)
T20
Colombo CC vs Police SC
1/44
30-Jul-2025
—
—
Achievements and Records
He became the 5th Sri Lankan bowler to take a T20I hat-trick, joining legends like Lasith Malinga.
Year
Achievement
2015
First-class debut for Sinhalese Sports Club
2018
List A debut for Colombo Cricket Club
2022
ODI debut against Australia
2024
Took a T20I hat-trick vs Bangladesh
2024
Claimed his first five-wicket haul in T20 internationals
Interesting Facts
His nickname is Podi Malinga in Sinhalese meaning little Malinga.
He began with tennis ball cricket and joined professional cricket life.
A local politician saw him in a six-a-side tournament and backed up his attempt.
His bowling action is almost the same with Lasith Malinga, his Idol.
He played in as many leagues as he could across the world and then got his IPL debut.
IPL Experiences
Sri Lankan speedster Nuwan Thushara debuted in the IPL in 2024 and has already represented two of the most recognized franchises the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). As he has a sling-like action like Lasith Malinga he has become an option in the powerplay and death overs.
IPL Teams and Auction History
Having entered the IPL in the 2024 auction, Tushara immediately turned out to be the noticeable acquisition.
Year
Team
Auction Price
Auction Notes
2024
Mumbai Indians (MI)
₹4.8 crore
Bought after a bidding tussle; MI wanted him for his Malinga-like slingy pace
2025
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
₹1.6 crore
Picked at the mega auction from base price of ₹75 lakh
Role and Playing Style
Bowling Role: Right arm medium medium fast )
Action: Slinging action the ability has been likened to Lasith Malinga
Usage: This is used mostly during the powerplay overs to move the new ball and during the death overs to bowl yorkers and slower balls
IPL Teams
At MI: Support gave depth with Jasprit Bumrah and Coetzee.
At RCB: Joined a restructured pace line up of high-profile foreign fast bowlers.
IPL Matches Stats
To date, Nuwan Thushara has been featured in 8 IPL matches with the majority of them featuring in 2024.
Season
Team
Matches
Notes
2024
MI
7
Impressed with pace and yorkers, though used selectively in rotation
2025
RCB
1 (early appearances)
Limited games due to strong competition in pace attack
Notable Highlights
2024 Debut Season (MI):
The media compared him heavily with Lasith Malinga, and MI’s coaching staff backed him as a death overs option.
His high auction price showed MI’s belief in his potential.
2025 Move to RCB:
RCB invested ₹1.6 crore, reflecting faith in his ability as a strike bowler.
Though competition for fast-bowling slots is high, he remains a key squad member.
Auction Summary Table
Year
Team
Base Price
Sold Price
Winning Bidder
2024
MI
₹50 lakh
₹4.8 crore
Mumbai Indians
2025
RCB
₹75 lakh
₹1.6 crore
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Nuwan Thushara Net Worth
The approximate net worth of Nuwan Thushara as of 2025 is 15 crore (approximately 1.8 million USD) using various sports media outlets. He is contracted by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and earns money through match fees, IPL deals, Lanka premier league as well as involvement in overseas T20 leagues. He also gets a lesser fraction of endorsements.
He was signed by Mumbai Indians in the IPL back in 2024 to the tune of 4.8 crores and on his transfer to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025 he was purchased at a price of 1.6 crores, which showed an increment in his overall wealth. According to report, his SLC central contract earns him around USD 40,000 a year. In online sources his net worth is given unpredictably because of differences in calculation and the inclusion of endorsements, but is estimated to be about 15 crore (or 150 million) in total, Indian rupees.
Source of Income
Estimated Earnings
IPL 2024 (Mumbai Indians)
₹4.8 crore
IPL 2025 (RCB)
₹1.6 crore
Sri Lanka Cricket (Annual)
USD 40,000 (₹33 lakh)
Other T20 Leagues (LPL, PSL, ILT20)
₹2–3 crore approx.
Endorsements & Sponsorships
Limited, not widely disclosed
Total Estimated Net Worth (2025)
₹15 crore (~USD 1.8M)
Nuwan Thusara Social Media Profiles
Nuwan utilizes social media and is active and interacting with his fans. He shares cricket matches he plays and his cricketing training and personal life events.
Platform
Profile
Followers (2024)
Instagram
@nuwan.thushara53
108K+
Facebook
Nuwan Thushara
15.8K+
Twitter
@NuwanThushara53
2.8K+
Conclusion
The story of Nuwan Thushara explains the ability to work very hard and suddenly the player is off to a new world of tournament cricketing like the IPL and international matches. A sling-arm fast bowler, he is a carry-precursor of the family of sling-arm bowlers in Sri Lanka that have served the Sri Lankan national cricket team. His ability and ambition will help him to further success in future years.
