Updated 18 February 2026 at 16:07 IST
Sri Lanka's T20 World Cup Campaign Gets Another Jolt, Matheesha Pathirana Likely To Miss Remainder Of Tournament: Report
Matheesha Pathirana is very likely to be ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026 following his hamstring injury against Australia.
Matheesha Pathirana could be in danger of missing out on the remainder of the T20 World Cup 2026 with a hamstring injury. The Sri Lankan fast bowler could not complete his first over against Australia and hobbled off the pitch after hurting his hamstring at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The T20 World Cup co-hosts already lost Wanindu Hasaranga due to injury, and losing Pathirana would be a massive disaster for Sri Lanka.
As per Sri Lankan media, Pathirana's scan reports are yet to arrive, but given the extent of the injury, the team management feels it might take 3-4 weeks for him to recover, effectively ending his chances of returning in time for the T20 World Cup. His injury will also put a massive dent in KKR's IPL 2026 hopes. The IPL 2024 champions had to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad, while Harshit Rana remains a doubt after he underwent surgery.
Binura Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka, alongside Nuwan Thushara and Milan Rathnayake, are likely to be the replacement options for Sanath Jayasuriya's side.
Also Read: South Africa Cruise To T20 World Cup Super 8s With Perfect Record, Defeat UAE By 6 Wickets
Pathum Nissanka Blew Away Australia Single-handedly
Losing Pathirana, however, didn't deter Sri Lanka from thrashing Australia. Dushan Hemantha's three-wicket haul restricted Australia to 181 runs. Apart from Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head, no other Aussie batters looked threatening. Australia needed to win the match to stay afloat in the tournament. But Pathum Nissanka blew apart the Aussie bowlers as he singlehandedly guided his team to the Super 8 stage. Nissanka joined an elite club as he is now the only second player to have a T20 World Cup hundred and a double century in ODIs.
He completed his century in just 52 balls, hitting 10 fours and 5 sixes in the proceedings.
Published By : Anirban Sarkar
Published On: 18 February 2026 at 15:37 IST