Matheesha Pathirana (Photo AFP) NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders have received a major boost ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League after Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed that their star recruit Matheesha Pathirana is “fit and ready to join the IPL”, allaying fears of an attack on the franchise’s depleted pace.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!With injury concerns looming for many teams this season, KKR have been among the worst hit, so Pathirana’s availability has been a timely relief. The young pacer has been recovering from a calf strain sustained during the T20 World Cup clash, raising doubts over whether he will be fit in time for the tournament.
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Shashi Tharoor & Samson’s Redemption Story: From Failure to Fame Sri Lanka Cricket clears Pathiran for IPLAmid growing speculation, Sri Lanka Cricket Secretary Bandula Dissanayake confirmed that the pacer had completed rehabilitation and was cleared to play in the league.“As far as I know, he is fit and we have given him NOC to participate in the IPL, that’s all I know at the moment,” Dissanayake told PTI.“He has completed his rehabilitation and is fit. But it will be up to the franchise to assess his readiness. We don’t know anything about that at the moment. As far as we know, he is fit and ready to join the IPL.”However, it is still unclear when Pathirana will link up with the squad to fly to Mumbai ahead of their opening clash against Mumbai Indians on March 29.KKR’s pace unit gets much needed reliefKKR’s fast bowling resources were strained even before the start of the season. The franchise is already without Harshit Rana due to a knee ligament strain while Mustafizur Rahman was released earlier.To address the gap, KKR roped in Zimbabwean pacer Blessing Muzarabani, while several domestic quicks, including Akash Madhwal and Navdeep Saini, were seen undergoing trials along with Simarjeet Singh.Pathiran’s return could prove crucial for KKR, especially given his reputation as a death-throw specialist. Nicknamed “Baby Malinga” for his catchy action, he has taken 47 wickets in 32 matches since his debut for Chennai Super Kings in 2022.KKR will also be bolstered by the arrival of New Zealand players Finn Allen, Tim Seifert and Rachin Ravindra as preparations gather pace. With crucial home matches at the Eden Gardens against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants, the franchise will be hoping that Pathirana’s return will boost their title ambitions.
