Matheesha Pathirana on IPL Teams Radar Ahead of the Upcoming Auction

The IPL auction is all set to take place on 16 December, as fans wait to see which team gets which player. Matheesha Pathirana was also released by Chennai Super Kings in the retention session, sending him to the auction. This news has also made some IPL teams target the Sri Lankan pacer.

With the IPL retentions coming to an end, the IPL teams have decided to focus on auction. They have retained the players they wanted, and now they will be targeting their favourites in the auction. Surely the IPL auction was filled with shocking releases, and one of them even

He had been a part of Chennai Super Kings for a long time but ended up being released ahead of IPL 2026. At the same time, several teams have shown their interest to have Pathirana to their line-up. These teams include Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, who are in need of a pacer.

1. Pathirana Released

Matheesha Pathirana was a part of Chennai Super Kings for a long time. Whether the team was unable to take wickets or needed quick wickets to slow down the run rate, Pathirana was always there for them. Fans expected Chennai to retain Pathirana, as he remained as one of the key bowlers in their line-up.

Matheesha Pathirana in IPL:

• Innings: 32
• Overs: 106
• Wickets: 47
• Average: 21.61
• Economy: 8.68
• Four-wicket Hauls: 1

Pathirana was also a part of the team when they won the fifth IPL title. It was also his best IPL season, as Pathirana was able to take 19 wickets for the team in just 12 games. He also continued his impressive form when he played for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2025 edition.

But his run rate remained a concern for the team, as he conceded at least 10 runs on average per over. Apart from him, no other pacer was able to dominate well enough for the team. Still in the auction, Matheesha Pathirana was also among the few more pacers who had been

Matheesha Pathirana was also retained by Chennai Super Kings ahead of the IPL 2025 Mega Auction. He was retained for a price of 13 crore rupees, and the team even made him play the majority of the games last season. Releasing him has also given 13 crore extra purse to the team ahead of the auction.

2. If Pathirana Goes to KKR

Kolkata Knight Riders is among the two teams which has shown interest to have Matheesha Pathirana to their team. It should also be noted that KKR is having the highest purse ahead of the IPL auction, which makes them likely to get Pathirana in the auction. The team might not even if the bidding war goes to double digits.

If they are able to get Matheesha Pathirana to their line-up, it will be a great addition to the team's bowling line-up. Moreover, Eden Gardens has been known for its pace friendly behavior, which could even help Pathirana to a great extent. The team has released several bowlers this time, targeting Pathirana

He would be coming to the team to assist other bowlers such as Harshit Rana and Umran Malik. The team will surely have to worry about the fitness of Umran, which has pulled him out for several editions since his debut. But the inclusion of Pathirana with some other pacers could do magic for Kolkata Knight Riders.

3. If Pathirana Goes to DC

Matheesha Pathirana is also being targeted by Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. This is a great move by Delhi Capitals too, as the team has not managed to win the IPL even once. For the upcoming auction, the team has a purse of 21.80 crores, and they have space for 8 players left in the line-up.

Out of these 8 players, 5 can be overseas. Taking a look at the releases made by the team, fans knew that the team would be targeting foreign players in the auction, and the speculations for the same have also started. Matheesha Pathirana has been on the team's radar for the auction, and this will help DC to build up a

If Matheesha Pathirana would be joining the team, it also means that the opening duo will be Mitchell Starc and Pathirana. Both of them have been known for their deadly pace and yorkers, which could be capable enough to take wickets in the power play and even the death overs. He will also be joining other pacers such as Mukesh Kumar and T Natarajan.