3 players who can replace injured Matheesha Pathirana for KKR ahead of IPL 2026

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have faced a major blow ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as their star pacer from Sri Lanka, Matheesha Pathirana, has undergone rehabilitation, as he posted the picture on his Instagram story. The league is expected to begin on March 28, which is in a couple of weeks, which means Pathirana could miss at least five games.

In the absence of Matheesha Pathirana, the three-time champions of the league will need a partial replacement who can offer them quality with the ball and create a massive difference in all phases of the game. The recently finished T20 World Cup 2026 has given them a few options to nurture. 

3 players who can replace Matheesha Pathirana for KKR in IPL 2026-

1.Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe)

Zimbabwe’s right-arm pacer, Blessing Muzarabani, came into the IPL 2025 as a replacement for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) but didn’t feature in a single game. He has played a total of 133 T20 innings and bagged 155 wickets at an average of 22.76 and a strike rate of 18.50 with an economy rate of 7.35, thanks to the best bowling figures of 4/17 in an innings.

See Also: Major blow for KKR as star player undergoes rehabilitation ahead of IPL 2026

Muzarabani finished the T20 WC 2026 as the joint second leading wicket-taker of the campaign. The right-arm fast bowler has picked up 13 wickets in six innings at an average of 14.46, a strike rate of 11, and an economy rate of 7.88 as Zimbabwe finished in the Super 8 stage of the competition.

2. Fazalhaq Farooqi (Afghanistan)

The left-arm pacer of the Afghanistan side, Fazalhaq Farooqi, has experience in the shortest format. In 152 innings of T20 cricket, he has bagged 191 wickets at an average of 21.26 and a strike rate of 17 with an economy rate of 7.47, thanks to the best bowling figures of 5/9 in an innings.

Farooqi has been part of 12 games in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the two franchises- Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). In those 12 innings, Farooqi has collected only six wickets at an expensive economy rate of 10.32. In the IPL 2025, he couldn’t pick a single wicket in five clashes at a massive economy of 12.35.

3. Bas de Leede (Netherlands) 

The right-arm pace bowling all-rounder for the Netherlands, Bas de Leede, has been a veteran member in the T20 format with 1284 runs in 63 innings of the batting department at an average of 27.31 and a strike rate of 114.64, with seven half-centuries, and also picked up 58 wickets at 22.39. 

In the recent season of the T20 World Cup, the right-handed batter smashed a fine knock of 72 runs against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. He got the knock in just 48 balls at a strike rate of 150, shouldering on five fours and four sixes. He can provide them runs with the bat and contribute a few overs with the ball to the KKR franchise.