Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders received a major boost ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 after Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed that their star recruit Matheesha Pathirana is “fit and ready to join the IPL,” easing concerns over the franchise’s depleted pace attack.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!With injury concerns looming large over multiple teams this season, KKR were among the worst hit, making Pathirana’s availability a timely relief. The young pacer had been recovering from a calf strain sustained during a T20 World Cup clash, sparking doubts over whether he would be fit in time for the tournament.Sri Lanka Cricket clears Pathirana for IPLAmid growing speculation, Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Bandula Dissanayake confirmed that the pacer has completed his rehabilitation and has been granted clearance to participate in the league.“As far as I know, he’s fit and we have given him NOC to participate in the IPL, that’s all I know at this point of time,” Dissanayake told PTI.“He has completed rehab and he is fit. But the franchise will be tasked to assess his readiness. At the moment we don’t know anything about that. As far as we know he is fit and ready to join IPL.”However, there is still no clarity on when Pathirana will link up with the squad, which is scheduled to depart for Mumbai ahead of their opening clash against Mumbai Indians on March 29.KKR pace unit gets much-needed reliefKKR’s fast-bowling resources had been stretched thin even before the season began. The franchise is already without Harshit Rana due to a knee ligament strain, while Mustafizur Rahman was released earlier.To address the gap, KKR roped in Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani, while several domestic quicks, including Akash Madhwal and Navdeep Saini, have been seen undergoing trials alongside Simarjeet Singh.Pathirana’s return could prove crucial for KKR, especially given his reputation as a death-over specialist. Nicknamed “Baby Malinga” for his slingy action, the pacer has taken 47 wickets in 32 matches since making his debut for Chennai Super Kings in 2022.KKR will also be boosted by the arrival of New Zealand players Finn Allen, Tim Seifert and Rachin Ravindra as preparations gather pace. With key home fixtures lined up at Eden Gardens against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants, the franchise will hope Pathirana’s return strengthens their title ambitions.
