Matheesha Pathirana Says He Learned A Lot From MS Dhoni During IPL Days

Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana talked about his bowling ahead of the ICC World Cup 2023. He said that he wants to win as many matches as he can for his team and his goal is to win the tournament and bring the World Cup back in Sri Lanka.

Matheesha Pathirana has been one of the young names who have impressed many with his performances in the past few months. He has developed himself a good name in the white-ball format as he has produced some staggering performances in a short span of time.

Hailed as junior Lasith Malinga, Matheesha with his slinging action has made batters look clueless and has made them work hard for runs. He has been cold under pressure and has often provided his team with crucial breakthroughs whenever under pressure, mostly in death.

Matheesha Pathirana’s unique ability to execute pin-point yorkers sets him apart from other pacers. He has been exceptional in his death and has become one of the vital cogs for Sri Lanka. He’s expected to play a huge role in the ICC World Cup 2023 as well for his team.

Matheesha Pathirana talked about his bowling action and said that he never bowled with the normal action. The pacer added that during his IPL days with Chennai Super Kings, he learned a lot from MS Dhoni. Speaking to AFP, he elaborated:

“We are looking forward to bringing the World Cup back to Sri Lanka. I want to win as many matches for Sri Lanka as I can. From my childhood days I never bowled with the usual bowling action.

“I learnt a lot from Dhoni. When I went there, I was a kid and no one knew me, but 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; that if I keep my body away from injury, I can achieve a lot for the team and the country – Matheesha Pathirana

Matheesha Pathirana added that MS Dhoni told him that he could do a lot for his country if he kept the injuries side. He also talked about the learnings he got from his coaches. He explained:

“Dhoni told me; if I keep my body away from injury, I can achieve a lot for the team and the country. The coaches don’t put pressure on me, they say that with my action, I will improve with age. I got a break to play in the Abu Dhabi T10, after that I played in the IPL, and with the IPL experience I graduated into the Sri Lanka team.”

Matheesha Pathirana played a huge role in Sri Lanka reaching the final of the Asia Cup 2023. With flat decks expected for the ICC World Cup 2023, he will be a vital cog for his team, especially in the death.