Kolkata Knight Riders fans were excited to finally see Matheesha Pathirana join the team after the win over LSG. Pathirana which was purchased for Rs. 18 Crore during the auction, was ruled out from the 2026 T20 World Cup after sustaining an injury during a match against Australia.
Pathirana finally got the NOC from Sri Lanka cricket and reached Calcutta on 19 April and the following day he completed his first training session with the support staff. He was with the squad on their way to Lucknow but was still a ways away from bowing out to KKR. Temper has stepped up his progress and looks to be closer than ever. So will Pathirana make the squad for the SRH match?
Tim Southee said the final decision on Pathirana’s participation will depend on the conditions and then a call will be made based on the combination.
“Yes, he’s arrived. He’s moving around the pack a bit now. So we’ll look at the conditions and decide on the side we think is best for tomorrow’s game. He’s been bowling well in training and it’s great to have him as part of the team,” Southee said.
Pathirana has a good record against the in-form Heinrich Klaasen in the IPL, having dismissed him three times and conceding 23 runs off 14 balls thrown at him.
Southee admitted that they will look at it as part of the selection criteria, but the call will not be made until the day of the match.
“Yes, you take a number of things into account when making selections. Obviously, the balance of the side, the composition of your team. Here with the IPL, your overseas composition has to change, obviously when you make those changes. So those decisions will be taken into account along with the conditions we face tomorrow,” Southee said.
PATHIRANA VS SRH RECORD
Pathirana played three matches against SRH in his IPL career and picked up three wickets at an average of 22.
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Published on:
02 May 2026 16:07 IST
