KKR’s Pace Attack Bolstered As Matheesha Pathirana Gets NOC For IPL 2026 From SLC: Report

IPL 2026: Star Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana has received his No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Sri Lanka Cricket to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

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Matheesha Pathirana Set To Join KKR Squad

According to a report by RevSportz, Sri Lanka Cricket has granted Pathirana the clearance to feature in the ongoing 19th edition of the IPL. The report further stated that the pacer will join the Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai ahead of their clash against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 14.

Amid criticism of KKR’s poor start to IPL 2026, Pathirana’s inclusion is expected to strengthen the Knights’ pace attack.

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KKR Roped In Matheesha Pathirana For Rs. 18 Crore

Matheesha Pathirana has long been a loyal member of CSK. The 23-year-old made his IPL debut in 2022 and represented the Super Kings for three consecutive seasons. However, he was not retained by CSK ahead of the 19th edition of the IPL.

During the IPL 2026 mini-auction, Kolkata Knight Riders secured the services of the Sri Lankan speedster for a whopping Rs. 18 crore, against his base price of Rs. 2 crore.

The 23-year-old has featured in 32 IPL matches so far, claiming 47 wickets at an economy rate of 8.68 and a bowling average of 21.61. In IPL 2025, Pathirana picked up 13 wickets from 12 matches, recording an economy rate of 10.13 and a bowling average of 32.61.

The Kolkata-based franchise had a sluggish start to the season, failing to secure a single win after playing four matches.

Currently, KKR sit at the bottom of the IPL 2026 table with one point and a net run rate of -1.315. The Knights earned their solitary point after their match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Eden Gardens on April 6 was called off due to heavy rain in Kolkata.

KKR will square off against CSK in their upcoming IPL 2026 fixture, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, on Tuesday, April 14.