Harshit Rana was injured in the T20 World Cup 2026 and has not recovered yet. Meanwhile, Mustafizur Rahman is not part of the team this season. In such a situation, the fitness of Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana is very important for the team.
Matheesha Pathirana Fitness, IPL 2026: The 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to commence on March 28. Three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) appear quite strong on paper this time. The team boasts a formidable batting lineup, but fast bowling could become a cause for concern for KKR.
After the IPL 2026 mini-auctions, KKR's bowling attack looked formidable. Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman from Bangladesh, Indian star bowler Harshit Rana, and Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana were the team's main fast bowlers. However, with only a week left for the IPL to begin, these bowlers are unavailable.
Harshit Rana was injured during the T20 World Cup 2026 and has not yet recovered. Meanwhile, Mustafizur Rahman is not part of the team this season. In such a scenario, the fitness of Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana is extremely crucial for the team.
Pathirana, who was acquired for ₹18 crore, had sustained an injury during the T20 World Cup 2026. He is recovering from a calf injury that he picked up during a match against Australia. However, good news has now arrived for KKR. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has confirmed that Matheesha Pathirana is fully fit and has been granted a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) by the board to play in the IPL.
SLC Secretary, Saman Bandula Dissanayake, speaking to news agency PTI, stated, "The fast bowler has completed his rehabilitation and has received the necessary clearance to play. We do not have further details at this moment. His match fitness will now be assessed by the franchise." However, it is not yet clear when Pathirana will join the KKR squad.
The team will depart for Mumbai on March 25, where their first match will be against Mumbai Indians (MI) on March 29. Following this, they will play three consecutive home matches at their home ground, Eden Gardens: against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 2, Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 6, and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 9. Since his debut in 2022, Pathirana has played 32 matches for Chennai Super Kings, taking 47 wickets. Pathirana is known for his unique bowling action and excellent performances in the death overs.