IPL 2025: "MS Dhoni is like my father.." Matheesha Pathirana showers praise on senior pro

Matheesha Pathirana was bought in as a replacement by CSK in IPL 2022.

Matheesha Pathirana, a pacer from Sri Lanka, has praised his instructor, MS Dhoni of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), calling him a father figure.

Since joining the CSK in 2022 as Adam Milne’s replacement, Matheesha Pathirana has been a member of the team. Pathirana has been a fixture at CSK and was one of the players the team retained before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction.

Under the guidance of a guy he holds in high regard as his “cricketing father,” the young Sri Lankan fast bowler, who formerly aspired to become a pilot and hails from a musically talented family in Kandy, has discovered his true calling in cricket.

“No words about Dhoni,” Pathirana’s mother says in a CSK documentary, thanking Dhoni, who has been CSK’s face since the IPL began in 2008. Like [like] god. Matheesha’s respect for his father is evident in the way he treats Dhoni.

“Dhoni is like my father, because of the support and the mentorship”- Matheesha Pathirana

This isn’t hyperbole. When the young Kandyan joined the prestigious league in a nation he was unaware of in 2022, Dhoni was the father figure the Pathirana family needed.

“Dhoni is like my father because of the support and the mentorship and the guidance he is giving me when I’m in CSK. It’s very similar to what my father did in my home. That’s why I consider Dhoni my cricketing father,” Pathirana said.

Pathirana, who has taken two wickets in both of his IPL 2025 opening matches, recalls the moment he first saw Dhoni, who turned to him and said, “Hello, Mali. How are you?”

Since Pathirana based his bowling motion on Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga, he was known as “Baby Malinga” in cricket. This is where the moniker “Mali” originates.

“It [Mali] is very familiar to me because when we are in Sri Lanka, Mali means the younger brother. So that kind of legend calls me ‘Mali’, Wow, this is so good. That’s so good,” Pathirana said.

Mahi and Mathee! Making us feel the bond! 🥹💛Watch #TheMakingOf Matheesha Pathirana Out now 🔗 – https://t.co/3AmfTzCSmx #WhistlePodu #Yellove🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/E0Sj4JjGGu

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 4, 2025

His commitment may have been put to the test by injuries and rising expectations, but CSK’s choice to retain him for ₹13 crores ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction—making him their most valuable pacer—says volumes about how much Dhoni and the team trust him.

The tale of Matheesha Pathirana serves as a unique reminder that greatness can also be subdued, intimate, and profoundly human.

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