After Mustafiz, Pathirana too, KKR suffer setback ahead of IPL

Kolkata Knight Riders have been dealt a major blow just ahead of the start of the IPL. Sri Lanka’s young pacer Matheesha Pathirana will not be able to feature in the upcoming edition, as the country’s cricket board has reportedly denied him a No-Objection Certificate (NOC).

As a result, he becomes the second KKR player to miss IPL 2026. Earlier, Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the squad following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

KKR had signed Pathirana for INR 11 crore in the mini-auction, aiming to strengthen their pace attack. However, that plan now appears to be in jeopardy. No official reason has been given for the denial of his NOC, though it is believed that fitness concerns could be the main factor.

Pathirana has been out of action for quite some time. He missed both Sri Lanka’s series against England and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup held at home, raising questions about his physical condition.

Meanwhile, KKR had enough time to find a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman, bringing in Zimbabwean pacer Blessing Muzarabani. But in Pathirana’s case, time is running short. With the IPL set to begin on March 28, the team has already started its preparations.

Now, finding a suitable replacement quickly has become a major challenge for KKR. Although neither the franchise nor the IPL authorities have made any official statement yet, a clear update is expected soon.