Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana has got the No Objection Certificate to play in the Indian Premier League 2026. This comes as a big boost for Kolkata Knight Riders after a poor start.
Reports say the 23-year-old will soon travel to Chennai and join the squad. KKR have struggled in the early matches. Their main problem has been death bowling. Losses to Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants showed their weakness in the final overs. Pathirana can help fix that.
KKR were also without key bowler Mustafizur Rahman. He missed out in a controversial situation linked to politics. This made their bowling attack weaker.
The franchise showed strong faith in Pathirana at the auction. They spent INR 18 crore to sign him. But he picked up a left leg injury during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. He bowled only four balls against Australia before leaving the field.
Pathirana earlier played for Chennai Super Kings. He took 47 wickets in 32 matches. He played a key role in their 2023 title win. He is known for staying calm in pressure moments. That can help a KKR bowling unit that has lacked consistency.
KKR also have issues in batting. They are at the bottom of the table with one point from four matches. Captain Ajinkya Rahane has changed the batting order often. This has hurt the team’s balance. Big signing Cameron Green has not made an impact yet. Young player Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been a bright spot.
KKR will next face Chennai Super Kings in Chennai. The pitch there helps spin bowlers like Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy. KKR are under pressure. Pathirana’s return could help them turn things around.
