Kolkata Knight Riders’ depleted bowling attack will be boosted, with Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathiran passing the Sri Lanka Cricket Board’s mandatory fitness test and expected to receive a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Sri Lanka Cricket for his participation in the tournament.Whether he will be available for the ČSK match is not confirmed. However, TimesofIndia.com has learned that the pacer will join the KKR team in Chennai. KKR are scheduled to play against CSK in Chepauk on Tuesday.KKR have had a tough start to the season with three defeats and one match ending in a draw. Their problems were clear in the death overs where they struggled to dominate the opposition batsmen. Losses to Mumbai Indians and to Lucknow Super Giants highlighted these concerns, which is why Pathirana’s return is important.
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Rovman Powell reacts after KKR’s heartbreaking home defeat The franchise signed him for Rs 18 crore in the auction. His participation was uncertain after injuring his left leg during the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where he bowled just four balls against Australia before retiring from the field.Pathirana previously played for Chennai Super Kings, taking 47 wickets in 32 matches to help them win the title in 2023. His experience in bowling at the death could help KKR’s bowling unit, which has lacked consistency, especially with injuries to key pacers.KKR’s concerns are not limited to bowling. They are at the bottom of the table with one point from four games. Captain Ajinkya Rahane faced criticism for the changes in the batting order. Cameron Green has yet to deliver while Angkrish Raghuvanshi has shown some promise.KKR will next face CSK in Chennai where conditions could suit Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy.
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Earlier, KKR also lost Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked the franchise to release him from the team and Indian pacer Harshit Rana due to injury.
