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Cricket PlayersMatheesha Pathirana's return gains shape as KKR's ₹18 cr bet edges closer to IPL 2026 lift-off: Report
Matheesha Pathirana has resumed bowling in nets, offering hope for his return to KKR this IPL season.
Matheesha Pathirana’s IPL 2026 story may not be heading toward a complete washout after all. The Sri Lankan fast bowler has begun bowling in the nets again, giving Kolkata Knight Riders reason to believe their ₹18 crore buy could still feature later this season.
That matters because KKR is no longer dealing with vague hope alone. Pathirana has been seen bowling at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, even if not yet at full pace, which is at least a visible step forward in a season where availability has been the real issue around him.
Pathirana offers KKR a reason to wait
For KKR, this is the more important part of the wider Sri Lanka availability picture. Franchises can live with delayed returns if there is a credible path back, and Pathirana now appears to offer exactly that.
The update does not suggest he is immediately match-ready. He is still building up, and the fact that he is not yet bowling at full tilt makes that clear. But for a franchise that invested heavily in one of the most distinctive T20 fast bowlers in the game, any sign of structured progress is significant. Pathirana is not a routine squad option. He is the kind of death-overs weapon who can alter bowling plans, balance overseas combinations and lift the ceiling of a side very quickly once fit.
That is why the mood around him is different from a standard injury update. KKR’s optimism is tied not just to his recovery, but to what his presence could do to the side if he returns in time for the more decisive phase of the season. Even a partial campaign from Pathirana could change the shape of their attack.
Hasaranga’s uncertainty sharpens the contrast
The contrast with Wanindu Hasaranga is stark. While Pathirana’s case now comes with at least one encouraging on-field sign, Hasaranga’s IPL 2026 situation remains stuck in uncertainty.
Lucknow Super Giants bought the leg-spinner for his base price of ₹2 crore, but he has not reported to the franchise and has not indicated when he might arrive. He is yet to undergo the fitness test Sri Lanka Cricket wants before issuing an IPL NOC, and the latest update from Colombo is that he had a batting session late last week without bowling.
Hasaranga has been out for close to two months with a tear in his left hamstring and has not played since Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup opener against Ireland on February 8. So while KKR can point to Pathirana bowling again, LSG are still left waiting for signs that Hasaranga is even close to clearing the final stages of return.
That is why Lucknow are now considering alternatives from the replacement pool, with names such as Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi, Liam Dawson and Rehan Ahmed available.
For now, the bigger takeaway belongs to KKR. Matheesha Pathirana is not back yet, but he is moving. In a season where many injury stories stay frozen for weeks, that alone gives Kolkata something meaningful to hold on to.
