Why did Matheesha Pathirana miss KKR vs PBKS clash of IPL 2026?
Matheesha Pathirana was absent from KKR’s first two games.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are clashing with Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). The encounter got underway on Monday, April 6, at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Ajinkya Rahane & Co. have suffered a poor start to the tournament, losing both of their opening matches.
In their first match on 29 March, they faced the Mumbai Indians (MI), which they lost by six wickets. KKR piled up a strong total of 220/4 in the first innings but could not defend their score.
Despite the home advantage, they lost their previous clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Batting first, SRH piled up 226/8 in the first innings, and KKR were bowled out for just 161 runs, losing by 65 runs.
Ahead of the IPL 2026, KKR suffered big blows with the ouster of pacer Harshit Rana and Akash Deep due to injuries. Moreover, they are also short of pacer Matheesha Pathirana.
Pathirana was picked for INR 18 crore in the auction and was among the costliest overseas players. He missed the opening games against MI and SRH. He is also absent from the clash against the Punjab Kings, where KKR won the toss and opted to bat first.
Why is Matheesha Pathirana not part of KKR’s XI vs PBKS?
Notably, Pathirana is yet to join the KKR squad in IPL 2026. The right-arm pacer is recovering from a calf strain that he sustained during the T20 World Cup 2026. Moreover, he is yet to acquire a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
The Governing Body has ordered Sri Lankan players to clear a fitness test to participate in franchise T20 leagues. SLC have maintained that Pathirana has recovered from his injury but is not match-fit. Therefore, they are yet to hand him an NOC to play in IPL 2026.
Is Matheesha Pathirana part of the KKR vs PBKS match?
No, Pathirana is not part of the KKR vs PBKS match.
What is the venue of the KKR vs PBKS match?
The venue of the encounter is Eden Gardens, 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.
Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.