In the early hours of IPL 2026 auction, Kolkata Knight Riders had already ticked off two major boxes. Cameron Green filled the all-rounder slot. Finn Allen addressed the need for an aggressive wicketkeeper-batter. What remained glaring was the hardest role to fill in the league. A reliable overseas death-overs specialist. That is where Matheesha Pathirana entered the picture.
Pathirana can fire yorkers at 150 kph with repeatable accuracy. Those rare skill sets were what prompted M.S. Dhoni, during Pathirana’s early years at Chennai Super Kings, to describe him as an asset to be treasured and protected for longevity.
Injuries have disrupted Pathirana’s last year, affecting both his availability and output. It was also the primary reason CSK chose to release him despite having retained him for Rs. 13 crore ahead of the previous mega auction, having first picked him up as a replacement player in 2022.
With his workload now being closely monitored by Sri Lanka Cricket, Pathirana has returned to action in the ILT20 for Sharjah Warriorz and entered the IPL auction at the maximum base price, fully aware that multiple teams were short on elite overseas pace. KKR, CSK and Punjab Kings all fit that profile.
Pathirana owns the fifth-best strike rate among IPL fast bowlers with more than 20 wickets. Since his debut, he has taken 43 wickets in overs 11 to 20, the second-most by any quick in that phase. Among pacers with at least 20 wickets in those overs since 2022, only Jasprit Bumrah been more economical. That is the calculation KKR made.
Published on Dec 16, 2025
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