Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana has cleared the mandatory fitness test conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and received his No Objection Certificate to travel to India and join Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026. The development brings welcome news to a KKR side sitting at the bottom of the points table after three losses and one washout from four matches.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Pathirana is likely to arrive in India on April 17, the day of KKR’s fixture against Gujarat Titans, but will only be available for selection from the following game on April 19, when they host Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens.
Cricbuzz, however, reported he could feature as early as April 14, when KKR face Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk, though the ESPNcricinfo timeline appears more precise given the fitness clearance process.
Why Pathirana Was Absent
The 23-year-old sustained a calf injury during the T20 World Cup earlier this year. In Sri Lanka’s group stage match against Australia on February 16, he bowled just four deliveries before being forced off the field and was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.
SLC had initially withheld the NOC pending his recovery and passage through their fitness protocols. As recently as April 6, Pathirana had not yet appeared for the fitness test. His situation had drawn comparisons with teammate Wanindu Hasaranga, who suffered a similar injury at the World Cup and has since been ruled out of IPL 2026 entirely.
KKR purchased Pathirana for INR 18 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. The franchise did not seek a replacement, choosing instead to stay in contact with SLC and wait for his recovery.
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KKR’s Bowling Crisis
Pathirana’s absence has been one of several bowling setbacks for KKR this season. Harshit Rana and Akash Deep were ruled out before the tournament even began. Mustafizur Rahman, bought at the auction, was released following instructions from the BCCI amid political tensions between India and Bangladesh. Spin frontman Varun Chakravarthy has also struggled for form.
In the circumstances, Blessing Muzarabani has carried the pace attack largely on his own. He delivered figures of 4/41 against Sunrisers Hyderabad and will look to maintain that form. All-rounder Cam Green, who operated purely as a batter in the first three games, also contributed with the ball in the most recent match against Lucknow Super Giants.
Despite those efforts, KKR’s bowling has repeatedly let them down in critical moments. They failed to defend 220 against Mumbai Indians in the season opener, lost by 65 runs to Sunrisers Hyderabad, and then surrendered a winning position in the death overs against LSG to lose by three wickets.
Pathirana’s IPL Record
Pathirana is no stranger to the IPL. He played for Chennai Super Kings across previous seasons, taking 47 wickets from 32 matches. His most impactful campaign came in 2023, when he picked up 19 wickets from 12 games as CSK lifted the title. His slingy action and accuracy with the yorker make him particularly effective in the death overs, precisely where KKR have struggled most this season.His return does not guarantee an immediate turnaround, but for a side that has been short of genuine pace threat, his availability is the most significant positive development of the tournament so far.
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