The list of players getting injured or not being a part of the entire or a particular phase of IPL 2026 keeps on growing, with Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana being the latest addition to it.
The Injury
Pathirana, who picked up an injury in the T20 World Cup game against Australia, is set to miss the initial phase of the ten-team league as he is currently undergoing rehabilitation under the supervision of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and is expected to join the Kolkata Knight Riders, who picked Matheesha Pathirana in the auction for INR 18 Crore in the middle of April.
Coach’s Corner
Talking about the news of Matheesha Pathirana being ruled out for a certain period of time, KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar said, “The latest update that we know is he’s obviously with the Sri Lankan cricket board and they took out his rehab.”
“And the latest communication that we’ve had is, hopefully, somewhere mid-April is when they feel he’ll be match fit. That’s what we know as of now,” he added.
The Concern
With Pathirana not being a part of KKR for the initial few matches, the team now finds itself in a difficult situation, as the three-time IPL champions will have an inexperienced bowling attack at their disposal, which is deprived of the services of Harshit Rana as well, who has been ruled out of the entire tournament.
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The Blow
Talking about Harshit’s absence, “Firstly, it is a big blow,” Nayar said. “Because Harshit has been an integral part of this team for the last couple of seasons, including the championship season. He’s grown a lot as a cricketer over the years, so it’s not easy to replace him.
“Having said that, over the last few days, we’ve looked at a few bowlers. We’re trying to evaluate, with the help of the leadership group, who fits in and who can do that role to the best of their prowess. We’re still evaluating that and haven’t made that decision yet, but hopefully we’ll identify someone soon who can make a difference to this squad.”
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