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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are unlikely to explore any trade involving Matheesha Pathirana ahead of the next IPL season. However, the Kolkata franchise is expected to release the Sri Lankan pacer before the auction after his high salary and repeated fitness issues limited his availability throughout the campaign.
The Knight Riders endured another disappointing season in 2026, missing the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five editions. Although they stayed in contention with a strong run in the second half of the tournament, inconsistent performances and off-field setbacks ended their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
KKR Unlikely to Trade Matheesha Pathirana Ahead of Next IPL Season
Senior RevSportz assistant editor Subhayan Chakraborty claimed that Kolkata Knight Riders are not considering Matheesha Pathirana in any player trade ahead of the next IPL season. Chakraborty wrote, “Pathirana is not an option for any trade for KKR. Most likely he’ll be released.”
Pathirana is not an option for any trade for KKR. Most likely he’ll be released. https://t.co/iL2Oehsw6e
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) June 27, 2026
KKR’s decision is believed to be influenced by Pathirana’s repeated fitness concerns and his ₹18 crore price tag. The franchise built a strong spin-based bowling attack during IPL 2026, reducing its dependence on the Sri Lankan fast bowler.
Pathirana missed most of the first half of the tournament while recovering from an injury suffered during the 2026 T20 World Cup. He also had to wait for a No Objection Certificate from Sri Lanka Cricket before becoming available, forcing KKR to alter their plans early in the season.
How Matheesha Pathirana’s Injury Hurt KKR’s IPL 2026 Campaign
By the time Matheesha Pathirana became fully available, KKR had already lost valuable ground in the tournament. The pacer made his much-awaited debut against Gujarat Titans (GT) but suffered a hamstring injury during his opening spell.
Pathirana bowled just 1.2 overs, conceding nine runs before leaving the field with the injury. KKR had expected the Sri Lankan pacer to lead the pace attack, but his setback forced the team to once again reshuffle its bowling plans.
The inexperienced pace attack, comprising uncapped Indian pacers Vaibhav Arora, Saurabh Dubey, and Kartik Tyagi, along with replacement signing Blessing Muzarabani, struggled to contain opposition batters, especially during the powerplay.
KKR recovered well in the second half of the season, winning six of their last seven matches. However, the poor start proved too costly. The franchise had to wait until April 19 for its first win and eventually missed the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five IPL seasons.
How Injuries and Off-Field Setbacks Disrupted KKR’s IPL 2026 Campaign
Kolkata Knight Riders faced a difficult build-up to IPL 2026 after several setbacks disrupted their plans. The Board of Control for Cricket in India directed the franchise to release Mustafizur Rahman despite signing him for ₹9.20 crore, forcing KKR to rethink their bowling combination before the season.
Matheesha Pathirana, Harshit Rana, and Akash Deep struggled with injuries. Harshit Rana and Akash Deep were ruled out for the entire season, while Pathirana missed the opening phase as he recovered from an injury suffered during the 2026 T20 World Cup.
All-rounder Cameron Green was unavailable to bowl earlier in the season because of workload restrictions imposed by Cricket Australia. With several first-choice pace options unavailable, the franchise relied heavily on its spin attack throughout the campaign.
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