Will Matheesha Pathirana play tonight for KKR vs SRH in IPL 2026?
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Matheesha Pathirana was picked by KKR for INR 18 crore in IPL 2026 auction.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a poor start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign as they faced a 6-wicket thrashing against Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Their focus now will be on their second game, which will be against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday, April 2.
KKR were jolted with quite a few blows even before the IPL 2026 started. Pacers in Harshit Rana and Akash Deep were ruled out of the entire tournament due to injuries, while Mustafizur Rahman was released from the squad on the BCCI’s instructions.
This meant that onus would have been on Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana, whom the franchise acquired for INR 18 crore in the mini-auction. However, he too has been battling injury and missed the opening game against MI.
Will Matheesha Pathirana play in KKR vs SRH match of IPL 2026?
With KKR losing the first game and Pathirana missing the match, many have been wondering if he would be there for KKR vs SRH clash of IPL 2026. But, it is unlikely that he will feature in KKR’s second game of the season.
Pathirana is still recovering from a calf strain, which he sustained in T20 World Cup 2026. Although, he was seen at airport, he is still awaiting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to participate in IPL 2026. Hence, he will miss the first few games in the tournament.
As per Sri Lankan journalist, Danushka Aravinda, Matheesha Pathirana is expected to remain unavailable until April 15 or 16 in IPL 2026.
In the pre-match press conference, KKR assistant coach Shane Watson revealed that Pathirana will miss the initial games in IPL 2026.
“With Pathirana, obviously, it’s a waiting game at the moment. We’re being guided by the Sri Lankan cricket board and we are just doing everything we can to get him over here as soon as possible,” he said.
“We certainly would never, ever push him any earlier than he needs to. Because the last thing that we want as KKR is him playing the first game, trying to come back too early and breaking again. So we just hope that sooner rather than later, he is able to come over here and we can really start the integration process,” he added.
KKR bowlers struggled in the opening game against MI. They would be hoping to make a strong comeback and help their team win the second match of the season.
Will Matheesha Pathirana play in KKR vs SRH match of IPL 2026?
Pathirana will miss the initial games of KKR in the tournament. Hence, will not be available for the clash against SRH.
When and where will KKR vs SRH game take place?
The encounter will take place on April 2 (Thursday) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
Ankitjit Singh is a dedicated sports journalist whose childhood dream was to play cricket—now, he serves the game through his work. With over three years of experience in reporting, writing, and editing, he brings deep insight to his coverage. A journalism graduate from Delhi University, Ankitjit’s passion for cricket took root during his college days and continues to drive his career.