IPL 2026 Auction: Sri Lanka's star fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping amount of Rs 18 crore during the auction. Delhi Capitals was the first team to start bidding for Pathirana as his base price was Rs 2 crore, and then LSG too joined them and took the bidding to the Rs 10 crore mark.
Just a day before the auction, Pathirana had performed brilliantly in the UAE’s ILT20 as he registered a match-winning figure of 4/19. “Actually, I’m getting this feeling after one year. I struggled a lot in the last few months and worked hard. But I’m still not in my best rhythm, but I'm improving, and this will improve my confidence. Actually, very good point for us [Nissanka and other Sri Lankans doing well in T20 cricket], and we have a World Cup coming up in home conditions as well. I’m just doing my thing and calming myself,” Pathirana was heard as saying to the broadcaster.
Who is Matheesha Pathirana
This Sri Lankan fast bowler can bowl at a speed of 150 kmph. He has played a huge role for Chennai Super Kings, even though he was released after performing well for them in the IPL.
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He has represented Sri Lanka in 101 matches in the shortest format, where he has taken 136 wickets at an average of 21.27. He also took five four-fers at an economy of 8.58.
It should be noted here that he took 31 wickets in 21 T20Is at an economy of 8.66.
But this young pacer has also been quite injury-prone.
He had a dream run in IPL 2023 as he helped CSK win the title. He had taken 19 wickets after playing in 12 matches at an economy of 8.01.
In IPL 2025, he took just 13 wickets after playing in 12 matches at an economy rate of 10.13.
He has taken 47 wickets in the IPL till now after playing in 32 matches.