Nuwan Thushara put on a show for Sri Lanka in their final Asia Cup 2025 group stage game against Afghanistan. Thushara ran through the Afghan top order in a fine show of lethal pace at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The 31-year-old invoked shades of Lasith Malinga with his slinging action, bowling at pace with the new ball.
Thushara rips through Afghan top order
Nuwan Thushara’s figures read 1/53 in 8 overs heading into the SL vs AFG clash on Wednesday. The 31-year-old opened the bowling and made the new ball talk in a fine show of fast bowling. With some assistance and swing, Thushara unleased hell on the Afghanistan top order.
Thushara had Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught with a well disguised slower delivery. Gurbaz has a stellar record against Sri Lanka, but fell cheaply in the third over. The 31-year-old then followed it up with a peach to dismiss Karim Janat in the same over. Thushara bowled full and straight with some late movement knocking over Janat for just 1.
Sri Lanka kept Thushara on for a third and he responded with yet another jaffa. It was a carbon copy for the Janat dismissal with a late outswing squaring up the well set Sediqullah Atal to leave Afghanistan reeling inside the powerplay.
Thushara has been amongst Sri Lanka’s better bowlers in recent times. The 31-year-old is ranked 6th in the ICC T20I bowler rankings, the highest for a Sri Lankan. His ability to bowl at pace and change it up makes him a valuable component of Charith Asalanka’s attack.
