Matheesha Pathirana’s wait in IPL 2026 has been getting longer and longer as Kolkata Knight Riders prepare to battle Delhi Capitals in a crucial clash to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The focus will also remain on explosive batter David Miller, whose absence from DC’s last two matches has raised several eyebrows among fans ahead of another important encounter in IPL 2026.
Matheesha Pathirana: KKR may avoid disturbing winning combination
The right-arm pacer, who was an expensive 18-crore signing for Kolkata KKR this season, is yet to feature in a single game as he continues recovering from the calf injury he suffered during the T20 World Cup.
Pathirana joined KKR camp last month but management is in no mood to risk his injury recovery at the moment.
“You always have plans to play someone like Pathirana but we will not rush him. We will leave it to the coach and captain to take a final decision” mentor Dwayne Bravo remarked in pre match conference.
With KKR coming into the clash on the back of three consecutive wins, the management is unlikely to disturb the current team combination. The bowling attack has looked settled in recent matches and the side would prefer continuing with the same balance for another must-win encounter.
As things stand currently, Matheesha Pathirana appears unlikely to play against Delhi Capitals.
David Miller’s absence and extra pacer in XI
Meanwhile, David Miller has been left out of Delhi Capitals’ playing XI in the last two games despite having no fitness concerns.
The decision has largely been influenced by team combination, with Tristan Stubbs taking responsibility in the middle-order finishing role. With the return of Mitchell Starc, Delhi Capitals have preferred using more overseas options in the bowling department, which forced Miller out of the setup against Rajasthan Royals.
That move worked perfectly for DC as they chased down a massive 229-run target successfully. However, the side clearly missed Miller’s experience in the following clash against Chennai Super Kings where their poor batting display cost them an important mid-table contest.
Still, Delhi Capitals are expected to stick with the same combination moving forward. Pathum Nissanka is likely to continue opening the innings while Stubbs handles the middle-order role. Mitchell Starc and Lungi Ngidi are also expected to lead the bowling attack once again.
As a result, David Miller also appears unlikely to feature in the DC vs KKR clash.
ALSO READ: Latest Cricket News
Comments are closed.