Matheesha Pathirana will miss first-round match intense pulsed light In 2026, he will serve as the head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Abhishek Nayar It was confirmed at a pre-season press conference on Friday that the Pacer may go on sale from mid-April. Patialana has been ruled out of the 2026 T20 World Cup due to a calf strain and is undergoing rehabilitation under the supervision of the Sri Lanka Cricket Association. He played just three games against Australia before being helped off.
KKR awaits fitness updates
Providing an update on the young fast bowler’s recovery, Nayar said: “The latest we know is that he has obviously been with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board and they have rehabilitated him and our latest communication is hopefully sometime in mid-April and they think he will be fit for the game. That’s what we know at the moment.”
Sri Lanka Cricket releases IPL 2026 NOC update
Dushmantha Chameera, Pathum Nissankaand Kamindu MendisPlayers who successfully complete the fitness test have been issued NOC to participate in the IPL. Nuwan Suchhara’s eligibility for a no-objection certificate (NOC) to play in the IPL will depend on his fitness test results.“Wanindu Hasaranga, Eshan Malinga and Matheesha Pathirana, who have requested the National Olympic Committee for IPL 2026, are yet to undergo fitness tests as they are still undergoing rehabilitation to recover from injuries. The respective players will be tested after completing their rehabilitation programmes,” SLC said in a statement on Friday.
“First of all, it’s a huge blow” – Nayar
Nayar admits Harhit’s absence is a major setback for KKR:“First of all, it’s a big blow because Harshit has been an integral part of this team over the past few seasons, including the Championship season. He has grown a lot as a cricketer over the years, so it won’t be easy to replace him.”He added that the team management is actively exploring alternatives: “Having said that, we have looked at a number of bowlers over the past few days. We are trying to assess with the help of the leadership group who is suitable and who can perform to the best of their ability in this role.”“We’re still evaluating this and haven’t made a decision yet, but hopefully we’ll find someone soon who can make a difference for this team.”
Bravo backs depth despite setback
KKR Mentor Dwayne Bravo The tone is confident: “In any tournament for any team, once you lose some key bowling options, these are things you plan for but are also things you have to accept. The good thing about Indian cricket, especially at the moment, is there is a lot of depth.”Bravo pointed to a few Indian pacers who could step up: “So, as the coach mentioned, we will definitely be looking for some guys to fill that void – like Umran Malik.”“These guys have also represented the national team and played in the IPL as well. They are young and exciting talents. So, personally, I am excited to work with this group of fast bowlers,” he added.
