Update: KKR pacer Matheesha Pathirana could join IPL 2026 on this date

Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana is expected to remain out of the ongoing IPL 2026 for a significant amount of time. According to the recently received updates, the sling pacer is all set to miss multiple matches for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

KKR suffered a defeat in their opening match of the season against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on March 29. The batters of the Knight camp did well to score 220 runs for 4 wickets on MI’s home ground, but their bowling department lacked quality to prevent Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma from smashing the ball all around the park. MI won the match by 6 wickets in 19.1 overs.

Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton toyed with the KKR bowling unit

Without Matheesha Pathirana, the bowling work of KKR looked rough-hewn. Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani, who played his debut IPL match for the team, leaked 34 runs in 3 overs without taking any wickets.

Before the season opener, KKR’s tactic got scratched as some of their key player ruled out of the campaign. Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman, Team India star Harshit Rana, and Akash Deep, these three pacers, have been ruled out for the entire season.

The team management named Muzarabani as the replacement for Rahman, but they have no option but to wait for the final words from the Sri Lankan cricket board (SLC) about their pacer Matheesha Pathirana. 

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SLC is yet to issue a NOC for Matheesha Pathirana

SLC has made fitness tests compulsory for its key assets, and Pathirana is among the players who are highly rated by the board.  According to the latest guidelines issued by SLC, as soon as the players prove their fitness, they will provide them with the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) to participate in the ongoing Indian Premier League. Pathirana is yet to receive the NOC.

When will Matheesha Pathirana receive the NOC from SLC, and by when will he be available to play IPL 2026 KKR? As per the latest updates, ahead of the KKR vs the Sunrisers Hyderabad, today at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Pathirana is expected to remain unavailable until April 15 or 16 in IPL 2026.

How many IPL 2026 matches Matheesha Pathirana will miss?

If the reports are to be believed, then not only for today’s match, KKR will have to settle their playing combination without the pacer for the upcoming few fixtures as well. After today's match against SRH, Kolkata Knight Riders will face Punjab Kings on April 6, followed by the matches against Lucknow Super Giants (April 9) and Chennai Super Kings (April 14).

As the seamer is expected to be available for the IPL 2026 at least after April 15, then he will miss the CSK match as well, and will remain uncertain to face the Gujarat Titans as well at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad on April 17. However, as of now, there is no official statement from any side of the matter.