Despite the return of Mathiesha Pathirana, the KKR management and bowling coach Tim Southee have maintained silence on the Sri Lankan fast bowler’s return to the IPL ahead of the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Kolkata Knight Riders haven’t had the best start in this edition of the IPL, as they have managed to win only two of their eight matches this season. After eight matches in this year’s competition, they are in eighth place with five points.
Knight Riders have finally found some positive momentum after a poor start as they have won their last two matches against two major fronts, including surprises against Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants.
Tim Southee is silent on Mathisha Pathirana’s immediate inclusion in KKR XI
With some players gradually regaining form in the KKR camp, there is some other great news for the three-time champions. Mathisha Pathirana has finally joined the KKR camp and is all set to move forward.
KKR bowling coach Tim Southee has left the door open for the long-awaited return of Mathisha Pathirana and his inclusion in the KKR playing eleven. However, he also mentioned that his inclusion will depend on the team balance and the conditions at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Southee announced that he has returned to the Knight Riders and is training with the group. Southee said, “Yes, he has come. He has been around the group for a while now.”
“We will look at the conditions and decide on the team that suits us best for tomorrow’s game. He has been bowling well during training and it is great to have him as part of the team,” he said.
What improvements can Mathisha Pathirana bring to KKR’s bowling deck?
The update seemed natural since Pathirana was not immediately available for selection. However, KKR did not lose hope and were in constant touch with the Sri Lanka Cricket Association to keep an eye on the 23-year-old’s recovery.
His inclusion in the team was for KKR to strengthen their death bowling, while Harshit Rana and Akash Deep were selected to work with the new ball. However, the Lankan pacer missed the opening matches, and two other Indian pacers did not play the entire season.
With Kartik Tyagi doing well in the middle overs and Vaibhav Arora doing well with the new ball, KKR’s campaign could get better if they pick a good bowler in the death overs, which was a point of concern in many games.
Pathirana will face a massive test against the in-form SRH batting unit
However, whether Mathiesha Pathirana can really be the solution to the many problems that have plagued the Knight Riders this season remains to be seen. It will be a big test for him if he is included in the playing eleven against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
SRH have a very impressive batting line-up which includes form batsmen like Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen and Ishan Kishan and now Travis Head has also shown glimpses of good form. He has played attacking cricket of the highest level this season.
Mathisha Pathirana is a real wicket-taker with the old ball and is effective in the death overs, bowling yorkers with utmost accuracy. However, Pathirana’s lack of control will be a major concern as he is used to bowling extras. So he will definitely need a few matches this season to settle down and adapt to that bowling line-up.
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