Matheesha Pathirana’s first outing in Kolkata Knight Riders colours lasted barely half an over. Drafted in as the Impact Player against Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens, the 23-year-old quick sent down eight legal balls before a familiar tug in the left hamstring forced him off the field.
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane had turned to Pathirana in the fourth over, hoping the Sri Lankan’s slingy action might unsettle a brisk Titans start. The first over cost seven runs – tidy enough – yet, one ball into his second, Pathirana pulled up grimacing. He stretched, lay flat for treatment, and tried another delivery at reduced pace. It dribbled out. After a brief chat with Rahane and the physio, he accepted the inevitable and walked gingerly to the dug-out. Two balls of the over remained; leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy completed them.
The franchise paid INR 18 crore (about £1.7 million) for Pathirana at December’s auction, but fitness problems have stalked him since the 2026 T20 World Cup, where a calf strain curtailed his tournament. Sri Lanka Cricket insisted on fresh medical tests before issuing an NOC for the IPL. That clearance arrived only after KKR had slumped to four straight defeats, and the pacer spent a further seven matches on the bench while the support staff edged him towards full pace.
“I’m working hard with the trainers and hope to be back soon,” Pathirana had told reporters in Colombo last month. KKR bowling coach Bharat Arun echoed the caution earlier this week: “We want him fit for the long haul, not just a cameo.”
Unfortunately, cameo is exactly what Kolkata received on Saturday – less than 30 minutes in the middle, eight scoring deliveries, and another question mark over a bowler whose unique release makes him both valuable and vulnerable. The Knight Riders medical team later said the decision to withdraw was “purely precautionary”, adding that further scans would follow.
With the business end of the season looming, KKR must weigh the risk of rushing their high-profile signing back into action against leaving a sizeable price tag on the sidelines for a little longer.
