Matheesha Pathirana injury update: KKR get huge boost ahead of IPL 2026
Published - 16 Mar 2026, 12:07 PM | Updated - 16 Mar 2026, 12:09 PM
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) received a major injury update regarding Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Pathirana’s manager, Amila Kalugalage, posted a photo on social media showing him wearing the Kolkata-based franchise jersey.
The right-arm fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana suffered an injury while playing for Sri Lanka during the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup 2026. He was ruled out of the marquee tournament, raising concerns about his availability for IPL 2026. The pacer took two wickets in three matches at an economy rate of 6.05.
Matheesha Pathirana Declared Fit for IPL 2026
Matheesha Pathirana has been declared fully fit ahead of IPL 2026. A social media post confirmed that he is ready to wear the Kolkata Knight Riders’ purple jersey soon. He has recovered from his recent injury and is expected to lead the team’s pace attack.
🚨🚨 Pathirana's manager posted this on Twitter👇🏼
— Rokte Amar KKR (@Rokte_Amarr_KKR) March 16, 2026
He's ready to rule in purple 💜 pic.twitter.com/M0F21MNtFW
During the mini auction, Kolkata Knight Riders bought Pathirana for ₹18 crore. The franchise entered the auction with the biggest purse and targeted him after the Chennai Super Kings released him following the previous season.
The team also signed Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for over ₹25 crore in the auction. Kolkata Knight Riders needed strong additions after a poor title defense last year.
They finished eighth in the points table with only five wins during the season. It is worth noting that the Kolkata-based franchise won its third IPL title in 2024 under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer.
Matheesha Pathirana Looks to Bounce Back After Injury Issues
Matheesha Pathirana has faced several injury setbacks in recent seasons. He took 12 wickets with an economy rate of 7.68 during the 2024 season before suffering a hamstring injury. His fitness problems forced the Chennai Super Kings to rethink his retention.
He also missed the first few matches of the 2025 season. Later, he finished the season with 13 wickets but had a high economy rate of 10.13.
However, his overall IPL record is still impressive. Pathirana has taken 47 wickets in 32 innings at an economy rate of 8.68. The pacer will hope to perform well in his first season with the Kolkata Knight Riders.
KKR Face Bowling Problems Ahead of IPL 2026
Kolkata Knight Riders are facing several problems before the start of IPL 2026. The three-time champions have been hit by injuries and player availability issues in their bowling department.
The franchise had to release Mustafizur Rahman, who was signed for ₹9.20 crore. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directed KKR to release the Bangladesh player due to political tensions.
KKR will also miss Harshit Rana for the entire IPL 2026 season. The right-arm pacer suffered a knee injury during Team India’s T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up match against South Africa. He has undergone surgery and will now begin his recovery.
The franchise replaced Blessing Muzurbani with Mustafizur Rahman for IPL 2026. However, KKR are yet to announce a replacement for Harshit Rana.
Also read: Michael Vaughan snubs Rohit Sharma, Chris Gayle as he names best IPL captain and batter of all-time
About the Author
Sai Vaitla is an author at Cricketaddictor and he has been working since September 2022. Sai Vaitla...
