IPL 2026: 5 franchises that can target Matheesha Pathirana in the Indian Premier League Auction

Matheesha Pathirana, the Sri Lankan speedster with the unique sling-shot action, was surprisingly released by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction.

Nicknamed ‘Baby Malinga’, his unorthodox action and pinpoint death-over yorkers made him instrumental in CSK’s 2023 title win. Pathirana’s release, despite his previous retention at INR 13 crore, appears to be a calculated, high-risk move by CSK management to free up significant purse space and potentially buy him back at a lower price in the auction, or a reflection of recent injury concerns and a sub-par IPL 2025 where his economy rate crept up to over 10. Given his age and specialist skill, he remains the most coveted death-bowling overseas commodity in the auction pool.

5 franchises that can target Matheesha Pathirana in the IPL 2026 Auction

1. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

KKR enters the auction with the largest war chest, holding a staggering INR 64.30 crore purse remaining after releasing several high-priced players like Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer. This immense budget allows them to bid aggressively for marquee players without fear. KKR’s current squad composition, though strong in spin, severely lacks a world-class, dedicated pace bowler, particularly one who can execute at the death. Pathirana, with his proven match-winning ability in high-pressure situations, would perfectly fill the void of a premier overseas fast bowler. KKR needs an established finisher for their bowling unit, and Pathirana fits that profile precisely, making him their top bowling target.

2. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

Despite releasing him, CSK will undoubtedly be one of the prime contenders to re-acquire Pathirana. Following the landmark trade of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, CSK still holds a massive purse of INR 43.40 crore. The logic behind his release was to get him back at a cheaper price than his INR 13 crore retention cost, as they badly need bowling reinforcements after a major squad overhaul. However, the move has been labelled ‘high-risk,’ and reports indicate they are keen to buy him back. His familiarity with the team, the home conditions, and the legacy of being nurtured by MS Dhoni make Pathirana the ideal bowling component for CSK’s rebuild.

3. Delhi Capitals (DC)

Delhi Capitals possess a healthy purse of INR 21.80 crore and are looking to solidify their pace attack to complement Mitchell Starc. While they retained Dushmantha Chameera, the team needs a reliable, specialist death bowler, a role where they have often faltered. Pathirana’s career death-overs economy rate of 9.16 is excellent for the IPL, and his sling action offers the kind of unusual threat that can disrupt momentum on the flat tracks of Delhi. Adding Pathirana provides DC with a second, high-impact overseas pacer who specializes in the most crucial phase of the innings, balancing their retained spin and batting units.

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4. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

Sunrisers Hyderabad enters the mini-auction with INR 25.50 crore remaining and a clear mandate to restructure their bowling attack, especially after trading Mohammed Shami. SRH’s batting often fires, but their bowling unit has been heavily criticized for poor death-over execution. Having retained Pat Cummins, SRH needs a high-quality second overseas pacer who can handle the pressure. Pathirana would be the ideal partner for Cummins, offering a contrasting, but equally devastating, death-over option. His young age and upside align perfectly with SRH’s historical strategy of investing in young, pace-bowling talents.

5. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

The defending champions, RCB, have a reasonable purse of INR 16.40 crore and a significant gap in their pace attack, having released their premier Indian pacer, Renuka Singh Thakur. While they will likely use their RTM card on Renuka, they still require a world-class overseas pace option to support Josh Hazlewood. Pathirana provides a genuine point-of-difference to their attack. If they choose not to use the RTM on Renuka, or if they decide to use their final overseas slot for a specialist pacer, Pathirana’s unmatched skill at the death makes him an immediate game-changer for a team whose historic bowling issues often resurfaced in high-stakes matches.

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