Chennai Super Kings and Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana has set a new record as the most expensive player in the history of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), fetching an impressive USD 1,20,000 at the auction. 

Known for his Lasith Malinga-inspired bowling style, Matheesha Pathirana made waves in the IPL 2024 season with his stellar performances. Pathirana took 13 wickets in just six innings for the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2024, setting the stage for a lucrative deal at the LPL 2024 player auction.

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Matheesha Pathirana becomes the most expensive player in LPL history

In the LPL 2024 auction, Matheesha Pathirana was initially bid on by Galle Marvels, who raised the base price from USD 50,000 to a record-breaking USD 1,20,000. However, their celebration was short-lived as Colombo Strikers used their Right to Match card to retain Pathirana at the record price. This amount translates to approximately Rs 99.97 lakh in Indian currency and 3.59 crore in Sri Lankan currency.

Matheesha Pathirana's deal surpassed the previous record held by Dilshan Madushanka, who was signed by the Jaffna Kings for USD 92,000 in the LPL 2023 auction. Additionally, Sri Lanka's former captain Dasun Shanaka became one of the highest-paid players in LPL history with a remarkable USD 85,000 deal from B-Love Candy in the 2024 auction.

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Matheesha Pathirana in IPL

Many fans will recall that the Chennai Super Kings signed New Zealand speedster Adam Milne at the IPL 2022 auction. Unfortunately, Milne sustained an injury shortly after his CSK debut, ruling him out for the season. Chennai Super Kings then brought in Matheesha Pathirana as Milne's replacement, signing him at his base price of Rs. 20 lakh. 

Matheesha Pathirana suffered a hamstring injury midway through IPL 2024, forcing him to return home. CSK lost a couple of other players to injury as well, which affected their campaign this season. The defending champions were knocked out of the IPL 2024 playoffs race after losing to RCB by 27 runs on Saturday.