Home / Sports / Sri Lanka Star Pathirana Injured, Misses T20 World Cup
Sri Lanka Star Pathirana Injured, Misses T20 World Cup
18 Feb
Summary
- Matheesha Pathirana ruled out of T20 World Cup due to calf injury.
- KKR's bowling unit faces crisis with multiple player injuries.
- Pathirana's injury won't affect his IPL 2026 participation.
Matheesha Pathirana has been declared unfit for the remainder of the T20 World Cup 2026 due to a calf injury. The Sri Lankan pacer sustained the injury on February 16, 2026, during the team's victory against Australia, leaving the field after bowling just four deliveries. This unavailability is a significant blow to Sri Lanka, who are already without spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.
Pathirana's injury is expected to sideline him for several weeks, though it will reportedly not affect his participation in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. He was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for ₹18 crore.
KKR is currently grappling with a severe injury crisis ahead of IPL 2026. In addition to Pathirana, Harshit Rana is also unlikely to play due to a knee injury requiring surgery. The team had also seen Mustafizur Rahman released following a directive from the BCCI.
