Asia Cup 2023: Matheesha Pathirana Opens Up On How MS Dhoni Helped Him Grow In T20s, Says "I Was A Kid, No One Knew Me"

Young Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana opened up on how MS Dhoni helped him grow in the 20-over cricket and said that he was a kid when he came to play in Indian Premier League (IPL) and no one knew him back then.

While speaking in a video of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), Matheesha Pathirana said that when someone gives you confidence at a young age, it can help you grow in your career.

The same thing MS Dhoni did to all of the youngsters who played for Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

“As a youngster, if someone gives you confidence like that, it boosts your career. A player of that level showed faith in me and I believed I can do anything in that moment. Not only me, Dhoni gave confidence to all of us. There were 4-5 top players who were injured and he showed his trust in youngsters which was great,” Matheesha Pathirana said.

Now, I know how to perform in any T20 game: Matheesha Pathirana

Pathirana revealed that he learned a lot from the Chennai-based franchise skipper and the first thing is being humble for which MS Dhoni is successful in his career.

The 20-year-old pacer said that there is so much to learn from MS Dhoni as he is still fit at the age of 42. Pathirana said that now he can perform in T20 cricket and manage four-over spells only because of the former Indian skipper.

“I learned a lot from Dhoni. The first thing is humbleness and that’s why he is very successful. He is 42 and still the fittest cricketer which is really inspiring. When I went there, I was a kid and no one knew me and they trained and taught me several things. Now, I know how to perform in any T20 game and how to balance my four overs in a match. Dhoni told me if I keep my body away from injury then I can achieve a lot for the team and the country,” Matheesha Pathirana added.

Sri Lanka, the defending champions, will start their Asia Cup 2023 journey against Bangladesh on Thursday (August 31) at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka.

In the ODI World Cup 2023, Sri Lanka will start their tournament against South Africa on October 7th at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.