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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have declared that not some pacer but wicket-keeper batter Luvnith Sisodia will replace Matheesha Pathirana for IPL 2026.
The Kolkata Knight Riders have already had a tough season in 2026, as the former three-time champions of the IPL mostly lost their initial matches in the IPL 2026 season. The Knight Riders are currently sixth on the points table with 13 points and are still in the race for the playoffs.
Luvnith Sisodia named Matheesha Pathirana's replacement in KKR
Matheesha Pathirana, the star speedster, was included for a massive price tag of INR 18 crores. He moved on from the Chennai Super Kings and was one of the two costliest players in the IPL 2026 mini-auction.
The pacer missed the majority of the season as the Sri Lankan Cricket Board did not hand him an NOC due to his delay in rehabilitation following that injury in the ICC T20 World Cup. He returned to action for just eight balls against the Gujarat Titans before leaving the field with another injury setback.
He was ruled out of the season with a hamstring injury, and KKR have now confirmed Luvnith Sisodia as his replacement. Sisodia has formerly featured as a wicketkeeper-batter for the RCB as well as the Knight Riders in the IPL. He could also be a like-for-like replacement for injured wicket-keeper Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
Manish Pandey or Tejasvi Dahiya: Who will replace Angkrish Raghuvanshi for the KKR vs DC clash?
Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been ruled out from the remaining season of the IPL after an injury during the last game against the Mumbai Indians at the Eden Gardens. It was a massive loss for the Knights, and they will surely feel it further if they can advance into the playoffs.
Sisodia, who at some point was considered a replacement for Raghuvanshi, has been named after Matheesha Pathirana instead. For their final game in the 2026 season, the Knight Riders will have the option of Manish Pandey or Tejasvi Dahiya to replace Raghuvanshi.
Though Pandey played as a no. 3 for KKR in the last game, Dahiya would be the likely wicketkeeper batsman for the Knights. Finn Allen could be another option; however, he hasn't kept wickets anywhere in recent times. Luvnith Sisodia could also be handed a playing XI spot, as he is a recognized gloveman named as a pacer's replacement.
KKR Qualification Scenario in IPL 2026
The Kolkata Knight Riders are yet to break into the top 4 positions in this edition of the IPL. Following their poor start, the Knight Riders had slipped to the bottom of the points table, but winning five out of their last six matches, they bounced back.
However, for the Knight Riders, they will have their chance to make it to the playoffs if the Rajasthan Royals lose the day game against the Mumbai Indians, which doesn't seem a very likely possibility.
However, even under such a scenario, the KKR team will have to not only register a win against the Delhi Capitals but also win by a massive margin of runs of balls. They will have to secure a 76-77 run victory with at least 220+ runs on the board and would have to chase a 180-run total off just 12.1 to 12.4 overs in order to take their run rate past that of Punjab's, who share the same number of points.
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