Mumbai, December 16: The Sri Lankan sling arm action pacer Matheesha Pathirana had a massive payday as he was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a whopping Rs 18 crore during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction on Tuesday. Pathirana earlier played for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and was released by the franchise for Rs 13 crore.
The 22-year-old Sri Lankan pacer who depicts Lasith Malinga in bowling action. His base price was set at Rs 2 crore and was sold to KKR for Rs 18 crore during the auction which is being held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
KKR shared the update on its official social media account and said, "Mahisha Pathirana is a KNIGHT." IPL also tweeted, "Another big buy for @KKRiders. This time it's Matheesha Pathirana INR 18 Crore."
After featuring in just two matches during his debut IPL season, Matheesha Pathirana made a strong impact the following year, playing 12 games and claiming 19 wickets to establish himself as a key part of the Chennai Super Kings pace attack.
Despite his rise and consistent performances, CSK surprised fans by releasing the Sri Lankan pacer after the IPL 2025 season. Overall, Pathirana has taken an impressive 47 wickets in 32 IPL matches, underlining his effectiveness and value in the league.
Matheesha Pathirana shined in the Sharjah Warriorz in the International League T20 (ILT20) which is being played in UAE. He starred in the game and took 3 wickets for 19 runs and became the player of the match as he guided his side to victory.
