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Sri Lankan national cricket team’s fast bowler Mathisha Pathirana has once again suffered an injury in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 and it has put Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in panic.
The Sri Lanka national cricket team fast bowler, who recently joined Kolkata Knight Riders after missing the initial part of IPL 2026, walked off the field midway through the match against Gujarat Titans (GT) after bowling just eight balls at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Mathisha Pathirana made his KKR debut
On May 16, 23-year-old fast bowler Mathisha Pathirana finally made his much-awaited debut for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026 after enduring a frustrating wait on the sidelines.
KKR had acquired the fast bowler’s services for Rs 18 crore in the IPL 2026 auction after he was released by Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Pathirana had emerged as one of the most popular players in T20 cricket due to his unique sling bowling action and exceptional death over skills.
However, despite the huge price tag and huge expectations attached to him, Pathirana’s debut for KKR was much delayed. The Sri Lankan star was battling injury concerns and undergoing rehabilitation before the start of the tournament.
Apart from fitness issues, KKR also had to wait for clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) after the board delayed issuing them a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Due to all these complications, Mathisha Pathirana remained unavailable for several matches before finally playing against Gujarat Titans.
The Kolkata Knight Riders management and fans were quite excited to finally see him in purple and gold, but his debut did not last long.
Mathisha Pathirana got injured in KKR’s debut match
Pathirana’s debut turned into a nightmare as the fast bowler suffered a suspected hamstring injury during the clash against Gujarat Titans.
Pathirana opened the innings and bowled the fourth over of the powerplay. However, after bowling only 1.2 overs, the Sri Lankan fast bowler looked uncomfortable and was immediately attended to by the physio.
The right-arm fast bowler was seen clutching the back of his leg before eventually walking off the field. He did not look comfortable while leaving the field and KKR had to sweat over the fitness of their marquee foreign signing.
The injury immediately raised concerns among fans as the Sri Lankan fast bowler already has a history of fitness problems over the years.
KKR debutant Mathisha Pathirana walked off the field after bowling just 8 balls due to discomfort in his left calf.#Cricket #kkrvgt #IPL2026 pic.twitter.com/E2yQG0Mvai
– Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) 16 May 2026
The timing of the injury is a big blow for Kolkata Knight Riders as they had brought him into the playing eleven with the hope that he would strengthen their bowling attack till the end of the tournament.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders are yet to release an official medical bulletin regarding the fast bowler’s injury and are hoping that he is ready to go.
mathisha pathirana ipl stats
Despite being just 23 years old, Mathiesha Pathirana has established himself as one of the most influential fast bowlers in the Indian Premier League.
The speedster began his IPL journey with Chennai Super Kings in the 2022 season and quickly became one of MS Dhoni’s most trusted bowlers.
Overall, Pathirana has played 33 IPL matches so far and has taken 47 wickets at an average of 21.80 and an economy rate of 8.66. His best bowling performance in the tournament is 4/28.
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