Matheesha Pathirana fitness update: KKR star confirms IPL 2026 availability
Published - 04 Apr 2026, 11:32 AM | Updated - 04 Apr 2026, 11:58 AM
Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana shared a cryptic post on social media about his fitness during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Kolkata Knight Riders are waiting for Pathirana, who is recovering from a left leg injury sustained during the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 match against Australia.
The Knight Riders bought Pathirana for ₹18 crore during the mini-auction last year. Pathirana suffered a hamstring injury during the T20 World Cup 2026 match against the Australia national cricket team. The right-arm fast bowler delivered just four balls before leaving the field during the group stage encounter.
Matheesha Pathirana Shares Cryptic Post Amid IPL 2026
Kolkata Knight Riders shared a message about his return to competitive cricket on an Instagram story. Matheesha Pathirana was seen bowling in the practice nets while recovering from injury. Pathirana wrote “almost there” on his Instagram story.
He also showcased his bowling action in the nets. The fast bowler is expected to join Kolkata Knight Riders this season in mid-April.
🚨Recent Instagram Story: Pathirana is almost ready for KKR! 💜🤞 pic.twitter.com/QXR1sEWeeo
— Rokte Amar KKR (@Rokte_Amarr_KKR) April 4, 2026
Good to see Matheesha Pathirana back bowling in the nets.. 🔥 The slinger is almost there 💜
— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88cricket) April 4, 2026
He’ll do the fitness test soon — if he passes, he’ll be joining KKR in IPL 2026!
Come on Pathi, we need that deadly yorkers back.. 💪 #IPL26 #KKR
🎥- Amila( X) pic.twitter.com/ak9I8mDVnC
Matheesha Pathirana Awaits Medical Clearance Ahead of IPL 2026 Return
Matheesha Pathirana lacks medical clearance to play, as Sri Lanka Cricket denied his No-Objection Certificate for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. He is currently training at the National Cricket Academy in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Cricket has ordered that all franchise players must pass fitness assessments. Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, and Dushmantha Chameera passed their medical tests, while Nuwan Thushara failed his assessment and did not join Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
The Kolkata Knight Riders management hopes Pathirana receives clearance by the second week of April. Before joining Kolkata Knight Riders, Pathirana represented Chennai Super Kings for four seasons, taking 47 wickets in 32 matches for the franchise.
Kolkata Knight Riders Struggle Early in IPL 2026 With Back-to-Back Losses
Kolkata Knight Riders have made a poor start to IPL 2026, losing both of their opening matches against Mumbai Indians (MI) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The team is currently near the bottom of the table, with major issues in their batting, especially while chasing big targets.
In the SRH game, they failed to reach 227 and were bowled out for 161. The defeats have also raised questions around leadership, with Ajinkya Rahane facing criticism for the team’s performance.
Fielding and running between the wickets have added to their problems, as run-outs of Cameron Green and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who scored 52, damaged their chances during the chase against Hyderabad.
There have been a few positives. Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been their top scorer with 103 runs in 2 matches, while Rahane has added 75 runs. In bowling, Blessing Muzarabani impressed with figures of 4 for 41 against SRH.
However, Cameron Green, bought for ₹25.20 crore as the most expensive overseas player, has struggled with just 20 runs in two games. This is the first time since 2012 that Kolkata Knight Riders have lost their first two matches of a season.
They will now aim to bounce back in their next match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Monday, April 6, 2026, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Also read: 'RCB are playing with 5 overseas players': Virat Kohli trolled by Mr. Nags amid IPL 2026
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Sai Vaitla is an author at Cricketaddictor and he has been working since September 2022. Sai Vaitla...
