Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana will miss the initial phase of IPL 2026 and will be available only from mid-April, Kolkata Knight Riders head coach
Abhishek Nayar confirmed on Friday.
Pathirana, who had a truncated 2026 T20 World Cup due to a calf strain, is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
A Sri Lanka Cricket press release said that the players will be “issued a No Objection Certificate upon successfully passing SLC’s mandatory physical performance test.” Dushmantha Chameera, Pathum Nissanka, and Kamindu Mendis have already got their NOCs.
Pathirana is currently “undergoing rehabilitation” and is yet to go through the physical performance test, the release said.
“Somewhere mid-April is when they feel he’ll be match fit,” Nayar said.
The head coach also said that finding the right combination remains the biggest challenge for them. “I’m terrible at predicting what can go wrong, I don’t know how the tournament will pan out...but I think initially, it’s about making sure we get a fit playing XI come (March) 29th,” Nayar said.
With too many choices, selecting the right opening combination will be tough for
the Knights.
“I think that is a priority right now, making sure we get our combinations right. Because I always believe when you have new combinations in this IPL, it’s about positioning them well enough for them to succeed,” the head coach said.
“So I think that as a group, it will be our first challenge and the rest we’ll see as it comes. I’ve always believed T20 cricket is a game of momentum. It’s a game of form. So what happened a year ago doesn’t really matter... What is going to be really important is the kind of form our boys hit this season.”